


Make It or Break It

by ArtGuruSauce



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe, Domestic Violence, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Role Reversal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-23
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2019-10-15 02:30:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 59
Words: 391,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17520509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtGuruSauce/pseuds/ArtGuruSauce
Summary: After Gladion successfully escapes his mother's cruel grasp with a Type:Null, his plans go awry. On his way to Melemele, a storm sweeps up his boat and he is found on the shore by the Kahuna, Hala. He now finds himself in the sickeningly sweet company of his grand-son Hau, whom offer him help hiding and keeping his pokémon healthy and well. However, the more time they spend together, they find they start to grow incredibly fond of each other. Meanwhile, Lillie takes Cosmog and runs off to Ula'Ula Island, where she is taken under the wings of the frightening bosses of the Skull Gang, Plumeria and the Big Bad Boss, Guzma. It is in their base in Po Town, that she seeks the strength to stand up to her mother. And along the way, she gains a new nemesis. A newbie trainer from Kanto by the name of Moon.





	1. Prologue - Escape

**Author's Note:**

> Attention! This is an alternate universe! The canon changes will become more clear as the story continues, but all you need to know for now is Gladion does _**not**_ join Team Skull.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion makes an attempt to escape that quickly goes awry.

"And just _where_ do you think _you're_ going, you darling little boy?"

Gladion glared hatefully at the woman who raised him. Well...raised was a generous term, all things considered. He would hardly even say that she was his mother. As a matter of fact, he'd say she was just a crazy old hag at this point. He debated whether or not to bother answering her question...after all, what was the point? He had to leave, he had to save these creatures from her wrath. It mattered very little at this point what it was she wanted to know. But his rage compelled him to open his mouth despite this.

"I told you, mother! I'm not going to sit back and let you sick bastards torture these things! They're not your toys, they're living pokémon!"

Lusamine scoffed, a sadistic smirk forming on her face out of habit, " _Living pokémon_? You are _demented_. They are _Beast Killers_. That is all they were intended to be, all they ever were, and all they ever _will_ be." He didn't have time for this madness. He had heard plenty enough the past five years of his life, another minute or two wasn't going to make any difference to him. He had already lost his respect for her as a person, he hardly even recognized her as his mother. He growled at her, "Get out of the way, mother. I'm _leaving_."

"Who are you talking to? Surely you don't mean me. After all...you're not _my_ child. My child would _never_ steal from me...or _reject my love_ ," she spat. Something about this statement broke a piece of Gladion internally. It was true that up to this point, he had long shared in her sentiment. She was not his mother...he was not her son. It didn't work that way anymore. And yet he had been hoping despite this at the very least, whatever was happening in her head, she would hold onto it even if he couldn't.

He was so very wrong.

No matter the case, he was done talking. Both out of exhaustion and a silent, final severing of his attachment to his "mother". The Type:Nulls behind him shifted nervously as Lusamine summoned her Bewear and cared not to give it a specific target. A Null bravely stepped forward and Gladion knew full well it wasn't going to budge from it's decision. He was sorrowed to have to leave a single one of these creatures behind...but it was more than willing to sacrifice itself for it's comrades. Without a single word, Gladion and the Null exchanged glances of farewells.

He turned, and ran as far as his legs could take him as the Nulls beside him followed eagerly. They hadn't known this boy for very long, but they were intelligent creatures, they knew he would guide them to their freedom. He wasn't like the other men and women draped in white in this place. Sure, at first his uncanny appearance, similar to that of their cruel creator, had frightened them at first. But the boy held no stick or taser to speak of as he opened their cages and soothed them peacefully.

It was obvious...he was here to help them. And whether or not he was entirely good didn't matter to them in the least bit. They had a common enemy; the woman in white. Suddenly, they were cornered. A swarm of Aether Foundation employees blocked their only exit, the elevator. A Null noticed Gladion's shaking hand, and the other simply glared viciously at the blinded fools that stood before them. Another Null yet again stepped forward, and nuzzled his hand gently. At first it appeared to be a gesture of comfort...but it didn't stop.

He knew only after ten seconds what it was asking, and he shook his head, "N-No...! I can't do that...! You'll..." The mere thought sickened him too much to say it out loud. But time wasn't on their side, and he had to make a choice. One Null was already more than willing to allow their comrades to escape if it meant at least one would be free...he had to respect that wish in full. Hesitantly, he stepped back, and winced as he uttered his first order to the other Null, "...Take it off." The Nulls exchanged looks...familiarity and sorrow in their eyes.

That on it's own was too difficult for Gladion to look at. He couldn't bring himself to look when the first Null tore off the other's mask and the merciless cries of both the Null and the employees rang through the air. The remaining Null, took notice of Gladion's frozen form, and quickly propped him up onto it's back and made a bee-line towards the elevator. Without so much as a glance behind him, Gladion slammed his fist down on the up button and held on tightly to the Null.

The sounds of chaos faded away, and he wiped an unwilling tear from his face. He was almost there...he just had to hope they weren't waiting for him at the top. Dumb luck had heard his prayer, and as they arrived at their destination there were no employees in sight. Quickly, Gladion guided the Null towards the docking area. Only one employee was nearby, but they were not quick enough to even hope to catch the two as they soared through the air over them and onto the boat situated in the waters.

Gladion jumped off of Null's back, fidgeting anxiously with the controls as he tried to get the damn thing to start. As time passed, he could hear the angry screeches of Lusamine and the employees catching up to him. He cursed aloud to himself, until finally the engine roared to life and he stepped on the gas. The last thing he heard before he was greeted only by the silence of the open shores was Lusamine's insane screaming and curses to find him and make him suffer for his crimes.

Once the Foundation was far from view, he let up on the gas and sighed with relief as he sunk to the floor tiredly. A headache drew in as he began to dwell on the failures of his mission. He knew it was highly likely he'd be found out by Lusamine before he could get on the boat...but he hadn't prepared himself to lose almost _all_ the Nulls. Blind determination had him believing they'd all make it out ok over that horizon. He felt like a complete fool. The Null approached him and plopped down beside his newfound comrade quietly.

It had been a challenge since the dawn of time itself for pokémon and humans to communicate fluidly. Many of them were easy to read based on pure expressions alone, though some of them were far harder to understand. Gladion had never quite been good at figuring out the thoughts of pokémon himself...but strangely, he could understand everything this Null was feeling. He pet it's head, giving a weak but forced smile, "Sorry, buddy...looks like I'm not really your perfect savior after all." 

He sighed, "If we keep on this course we should make it to Melemele. It's going to be hard hiding in plain sight...but I think we can manage." Null laid it's head down, huffing with exhaustion. Gladion stood up, giving it one last pat on the head, "Rest well, Null." He turned to get a look at his current route, there were no signs anywhere but if he kept going he was sure that'd change very soon. He took out a map from a bin jutting out from the sidewall, failing to notice the storm clouds rolling in on the horizon behind him.


	2. Chapter 1 - Safe But Not Sound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion wakes up in an unfamiliar place, and finds he was rescued by an unexpected savior.

"Madam President!"

Lusamine didn't bother looking her associate in the face, she merely pushed past her in her fit of rage. Impatiently, she slammed on the controls of the monitor in front of her and seethed in pure malice. Livid was not strong enough of a word to describe her rage in this moment. "Dammit! Where did that brat go?!" she yelled, pulling up the camera feed in every possibly angle there was to observe of the sea...but no sign of the boat nor her precious Beast Killer.

"H-He escaped the radar system, m-madam. He's _gone_ ," Wicke continued, shifting nervously. Lusamine growled, unsatisfied with this information. She would not have this. Nobody was allowed to touch her toys. She turned and began for the door again, "Find that brat! I want that Null we captured cyrogenically frozen this instant! He may have cost me two of my Beast Killers but I'll be damned if he lets the last one be scratched."

"B-But how will we go about looking for it? That was supposed to be top-secret!" As much as Lusamine despised it, Wicke had a point. This couldn't get out to the media...and she knew Gladion was smarter than to just squeal his plans or even plain her own to the first strange he saw. No...she knew him. He was always a cowardly boy. He wouldn't get far in that boat, though. Surely he'd flee to one of the four islands until he found a proper ferry to take him somewhere she couldn't follow.

"Secure Aether employees at every ferry station you can find. If anyone asks questions, we'll just tell them we're conducting an open-sea observational experiment. And if he's stupid enough to rear his traitorous head to one of those Ferries...I want that Beast Killer secured soundly and returned to me."

"A-And...what of Master Gladion?"

"He is no longer any Master in this house. He is no longer my son. And therefore..."

"Th-Therefore...?"

"...Tell them to have him tossed aside. I don't want him coming back here."

"...Y...Yes, Madam President..."

\---

_What's...going on? What happened?_

"Hey..."

_Who's there? Were we caught already?! No! I have to find Null!_

"Hey...!"

_Dammit, get up...! I have to-_

"HEY! WAKE UP!"

Gladion's eyes shot open and he sat up with a gasp before coughing profusely. He could've sworn he was drowning just now, or at least...he knew he couldn't breathe. It took him so long just to calm his coughing fit he had failed to notice the person beside him or his surroundings, for that matter. 

"Hey! Calm down, you're alright! You're safe now."

Gladion wiped the spit from his mouth, turning his attention to the source of the voice that had comforted him. He was expecting a lot of things when he turned his head, but none of them were this young man he saw. He was bit shorter than Gladion, and likely a little younger. He had dark skin, as was common of most people in the Alola region. His eyes were a dark grey, almost so thickly dark it was hard to tell his irises apart from his pupils.

He had a dopey but kind face, and upon first glance he looked like a bit of a slacker. Or at least what he lacked in hard work he made up for in big words. He had dark green hair, bound tightly by two yellow hairclips and a spiky ponytail. It appeared his hair was so long it would probably completely hide his features if not for all the measures taken to keep it out of his face. The boy offered a smile as comfort.

"There you go...easy. No need to worry, ok?" he assured, making himself careful to be quiet as not to startle Gladion. He couldn't help but sigh in relief that he hadn't been caught by anyone from the Aether Foundation and allowed himself to relax. He looked around at the strange home and finally realized he was laying on a couch with a blanket sloppily tossed over him. "Where...am I?" he asked, still confused by how exactly he came to get here.

He remembered escaping the Foundation with Null, and heading on his way to Melemele, but not much after that was very clear. Even now, all he could faintly remember was constant booming...almost like... _thunder_? Why would he remember thunder? The boy stood up straight and gazed around the home alongside Gladion, "Oh, this old thing? This is just my tutu's place. He brought you up here from the beach...said you were out cold."

"The beach? Wait! What island is this?!" Gladion asked suddenly. His haste didn't go un-noticed as the boy blinked at him curiously, "Melemele. You don't remember sailing this way?" He did remember that this was his destination that he had in mind, it was merely the aftermath that he wasn't adding up just yet. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he remember? And why was he out cold on a beach of Melemele?

"I...I don't remember what happened. I was headed here and then...I just remember hearing booming noises," he explained, sloppily. As redundant as his explanation sounded, it was the only one he had to give this boy. Suddenly, the boy's eyes lit up in recognition as if he had just remembered something. "Oh! That's right! You probably hit your head or something, right? Boat crashes can be pretty hard like that."

"I CRASHED THE BOAT?!" Gladion exclaimed, taken aback by this new information.

"Yeah! There was a real nasty rain storm two days ago! Lasted a whole 8 hours from noon into the night! Tutu said that's why you probably crashed. When he brought you up here your head was bleeding and you were all wet!"

"My...head..."

Gladion reached upwards and felt at his head, only to find gauze safely secured around it. He pulled his hand back and stared at it in disbelief. Things had gone so wrong so quickly. But everything began to make sense now. His feeling upon waking, the thunder he remembered hearing...it all seemed to add up. All of it except for one thing. His eyes grew wide with panic and he turned his frightened gaze in the boy's direction.

"M-My Null! It was on the boat with me! Where is it?!"

"Your...Null?"

"It's my pokémon. It's got a big brown mask on it's face."

"Oh! Is _that_ what that thing is called? Tutu found it on the shore with you! It was unconscious so we took it to a Pokémon Center and brought it back here with us. But we couldn't find it's ball anywhere so it's been laying in tutu's bed this whole time."

"...You said...someone named 'Tutu' found me. Who is that?"

"O-Oh! Sorry! You must not speak Alolan all that much! Tutu isn't his _name_ , it's just what I call him. You see, he's actually my grandpa."

The boy chuckled nervously as he spoke, scratching the back of his neck out of habit. Gladion raised a brow at this kid. He was certainly strange, if not interesting. "Oh!" the boy suddenly shouted, startling Gladion as much as he detested to admit it. "Geez, I'm so rude. M-My name is Hau. It's nice to meet you." He grinned a toothy grin and Gladion wasn't quite sure how to retort. From where he understood it...these people did save him and Null.

A thanks at the very least would be owed. "It's...Gladion. But I'd ask you to not tell anybody that, if you would," Gladion finally answered, bluntly. Hau blinked curiously at him a second time, "Why's that? Are you like an under-cover agent or something?" Gladion raised a brow and gave the boy a sheepish look...how old _was_ this guy? _Five_? "N...No! I-I mean...not... _entirely_ ," he admitted hesitantly.

"Well...I brought you some tea and came in to check on you. But when I got here you were thrashing around and having some kind of night terror. You were mumbling to yourself a lot and you almost hit me a couple times but I managed to wake you up."

"S-Sorry about that...thank you."

"No sweat! I've had nightmares before too! In fact I think everybody has at some point or another."

"Strange...I don't remember it, though. What was I saying?"

"Just general vague things. I _thought_ you were talking to _me_ at first 'cause you kept saying things like 'Stop it' and 'Don't touch me'. But then you started saying things like, 'Mother' and I knew it _couldn't_ have been me."

Gladion turned his eyes away from Hau's to hide his disturbed expression. He still didn't remember the dream, but he could take a good guess at what exactly he was seeing that had him thrashing like that. For now, though, so long as Gladion hadn't said too much, he wouldn't tell the boy anything in detail. He quietly picked up the cup laid out on the coffee table for him and sipped it. Then he suddenly spat it out as a single detail of Hau's story rushed back into his head.

" _W-Woah_! Are you alright?! You should probably slow down!"

"You said that storm was two _days_ ago! I-Is that how long I've been here?!"

"A...About...hehehe..." Hau grinned sheepishly, mentally kicking himself for letting that part slip.

His grandfather had explicitly told him not to panic the boy once he woke up, and he was failing absolutely miserably. Hopefully he would be let off the hook for this one. Gladion wiped the remains of the tea from his face and took a deep breath to calm himself. How long he had been here didn't matter. What mattered is that they were hidden...that Null was hidden, and safe. He carefully and slowly sipped the tea again after he calmed himself properly.

Of course, Hau nervously watched him more carefully this time after that outburst. Only allowing himself to breathe when Gladion had finished his cup and set it down. His headache returned to him and he gripped at his head tensely with his hand. Hau approached him, noticing the motion. "Hey...a-are you alright? I can go get you some pain killers if you need some," he offered, reaching his hand out to check his wound.

Gladion swatted his hand away and let out an exasperated sigh, "N-No I'm...I'll be fine. So is it just us here?" Hau stood up straight again and smiled with a nod, "Yup! Tutu is out giving some new trainers their starters. He wanted me to stay here and keep an eye on you in case you woke up so he'll be bringing me whatever doesn't get picked out today." Something about this explanation caught Gladion's curiosity. He raised a brow at Hau again.

"Starters...? Wait...is your grandfather a-"

"A Kahuna! That's right!"

Gladion stood up suddenly, "I need to speak with-"

He keeled over, his migraine suddenly magnified and he couldn't hold back a pained hiss. Hau darted forward and grabbed Gladion gently, forcing him to sit back down on the couch. "Hey, don't even _think_ about it! You just woke up, after all. I'm not too smart with a lot of things but you are definitely not ready to leave the house. He'll be back soon anyway. You can talk to him then, I promise. Just relax."

As much as Gladion hated to admit it, Hau was right. He was in pain and just newly awakening from his temporary coma was in no shape to walk, let alone stand. He'd just have to wait things out. But perhaps there was no need to rush...Melemele is the last place Lusamine would search for him, and he had been delivered right in the middle of the Kahuna's home of all places. If there was anywhere he could bide his time for a plan to escape, it was here.

"Say..." Hau suddenly spoke up, prompting Gladion to meet his eyes. "You're dressed kinda fancy-like. Are you rich or something?" Gladion glared at first but eased up, remembering his position. He was probably not going to have to worry about this kid when the Kahuna returned. After all, he was planning to leave this place and head somewhere Lusamine would never hope to find him or catch him. He would be curious as the boy was if he were in his shoes anyways.

"...It's...better if you just don't ask, kid. I'm in the middle of something _really_ serious and I'd rather not involve more people than I have to."

"So you _are_ a secret agent! But you don't look much older than me! How old are you?"

"I-I told you I'm not an agent! And I'm 13!"

"13, huh? Two whole years older than me. That's cool! So does that mean you're a trainer? But your pokémon doesn't have a ball..."

"Kid. Questions."

"O-Oh! Right! Sorry!" Hau chuckled nervously again and scratched at the back of his neck once more.

Gladion couldn't help but feel comfortable in this boy's mere presence. It seemed to be some kind of gift he had, as if his mere unbreakable aura of foolish but optimistic innocence put others at automatic ease. Regardless, Gladion turned away from him again and remained silent once more. Right now he had to worry about the Kahuna, and then he and Null would soon be home free. 

_At least...I hope so..._ he thought.

\---

"Madam President?" Wicke called.

Lusamine looked up from her desk, halfway through signing one of billions of official documents for approval. It was a miracle she had calmed down so quickly. But her rage wouldn't carry her off into the sunset, and she knew that. She raised a brow and crossed her legs impatiently, "Yes, Wicke? What is it?" Wicke bowed her head respectfully, as to not give her boss any more reasons to fly off the handle this week.

"Y-Young Madam Lillie would like to speak with you. T...Truthfully she's been trying to see you all _week_ , but, ah..."

Lusamine sighed, "Send her in."

Wicke lit up in surprise at this answer, but bowed obediently, "Y-Yes Madam President! Right away!" She turned and shuffled out the door, only to be replaced a few moments late by the young madam in question. She nervously shuffled inside, careful not to step too close to her mother's desk. Lusamine observed her facial features...she appeared to have been crying for quite some time. Her eyes were a little puffy, and her cheeks were noticeably stained.

"M...Mother."

"Lillie my darling flower, whatever troubles you so?"

She couldn't help but suck in a sob, "...He's really _gone_? He _left_ us?"

Lusamine stood up suddenly, a response Lillie had not been expecting to provoke from her so soon. Slowly, she made her way towards Lillie, and pulled the child into a soft embrace. She gently pet Lillie's hair as she cooed into her ear from above her, "Oh Lillie...my sweet flower. How I hate to see my perfections _ruined_ by that _ungrateful_ little eyesore. Don't you worry one _bit_ , dear...you don't have to mourn for him anymore. You know why?"

Lillie sniffled, "Wh...Why, mother?"

Lusamine squatted down, pinching Lillie's chin to pull her eyes up into her line of sight, "Because, dear...he's _dead_. He died the moment he put his hands on my precious toys. He was dead when he made me put one down. He was dead when he stole that boat. And he was dead...when he left. This. _Island_."

"Mother..."

"So do not cry for him anymore, darling. I cannot stand it. We will not weep for the weak and unworthy. He was just a coward. Besides...it just means that you don't have to worry about having to share my love anymore~. You can have it all to _yourself_! Isn't that just _beautiful_ , darling?"

"...Yes, mother. It is...y-you're _right_."

Lusamine pat her daughter's head with a sincere smile, "Ahh, thank goodness. You are _finally_ beginning to see things my way. Now be a dear, and go play with your pokémon, my sweet flower. As a matter of _fact_..."

She tossed a lone pokéball into the child's hands as she stepped towards her desk. Lillie caught it and observed it wasn't an ordinary pokéball. In fact, the only one who had had this type of ball was... 

"Y-You're giving me Cleffa? Really?! But I already have Lillipup!"

"Well now you have _two_ pokémon you can play with! Go on now, darling, you deserve it!"

Lillie smiled and nodded, turning away from her mother and promptly exiting her office. Her footsteps came to a dead halt as soon as the doors shut behind her. She stared down at the pokéball in her hand. Something she never thought she could conceive of even in her wildest dreams began to boil inside her as she stared at it. She had cried the entire week...she had replayed the security footage over and over and over and over again.

Over and over, she watched her brother release the Nulls from their cages. Over and over she watched her mother knock out the first one that split from the group. Over and over she watched her brother order one of the two Nulls to tear off the others mask. Over and over she watched that Null that was freed from it's bindings kill itself in it's uncontrollable rage as it's power forced it's heart to stop from sheer shock. Over and over...she watched her brother take off onto the horizon with the last Null.

He had never discussed this plan he had sloppily carried out with her. He didn't even bother asking Wicke for help in his endeavors. She had told Lillie so. In any other circumstance, Lillie might've rationalized this. _He was scared, he'll come back, he just wanted to help them!_ All these reasons shouting out loud in her head as her grip on the pokéball tightened. _But if that's all true...then why? Why did he leave it here? He loved it...didn't he?_

Her deluded rationality began to tear apart at the single detail that stuck out to her. The single detail she held in the palm of her hand. She was looking right at it, the only proof she needed. Slowly...her resolve began to harden as her thoughts all melted into bitterness. _He's a coward, he's not coming to save me, I have to save myself!_ She glared fiercely at the pokéball and held onto it so tightly it was possibly it could've broken. Reality finally hit her.

Her brother...had _abandoned_ her.

Her grip eased as the thought came and went like the flip of a light switch. A metaphorical light bulb had lit up in her head at that moment. Lillie's glare eased into a solemn look of determination and half-pity for the pokémon she held in her palm. She turned, and began towards the wing leading to the mansion in the back of the Foundation. She would not fail like Gladion had. She would not simply cower like a child like Gladion had. She was weak the way she was...she couldn't stop her mother. Not like this.

She needed to find guidance. Maybe once she would've looked no further than her brother for such a thing. But now her resolve was similar to that of her mother's. She had no brother now...Gladion was a stranger to her. He became a stranger when he disappeared off the horizon. She made her way to her room, and upon entering set her eyes on a dufflebag that rested on her bed. Lillie stuffed the pokéball she had received inside, beside the other and slung it over her shoulder.

Without a word, she carelessly tossed her hat to the ground, and turned to head downstairs to her mother's bed room.


	3. Chapter 2 - Optimal In Theory...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hau's grandfather finally returns home, and Gladion speaks with him in private to reveal his plans.

It was a slow day, the kind of day Plumeria _despised_. She was itching for something, _anything_ interesting to happen today. But it seemed the more she wished the less likely it became. It wasn't often she walked out to the beach that lay not to far from Po Town's bordered wall. After all, she always hated the water. Funny that she would be born and raised in one of the most ocean-based regions of the world. She liked the heat better...but perhaps there was no better place to go for such a thing than the beach.

Carelessly, she tossed her cigarette she had smoked down to nearly nothing by this point into the sand and didn't bother stomping it out. The rock was inflammable, it would burn out on it's own. She stopped dead in her tracks as soon as her gaze turned back upwards. There was no one around this morning...nobody save for Plumeria herself. They likely were either at work or hiding. But just at the edge of the waters that smashed against the sand ever-violently was a girl.

She couldn't have been much older than 11. She wasn't small, but she was too short to be a teenager. Her bright white dress that made her stick out like a sore thumb alongside her brightly colored, long, blonde hair was torn up at it's edges. Likely chewed on by some feral pokémon who had spotted her earlier. By the looks of things...they had given up using her as a piece of food after they detested the taste of her clothing. She clung tightly to a dufflebag that was wrapped around her shoulder.

Plumeria slowly took a step forward, mentally trying to talk herself through what she was going to do about this. She could always just leave her there...this was none of her business. When Plumeria left, someone from around here would pick her up and get her help. Or maybe she should just take advantage of this opportunity and see if the girl had any rare pokémon in that bag of hers. It looked all too easy to take it, even if she woke up. She was clearly at a physical disadvantage.

It could've been any number of things that drove her to pick an entirely different option today. Perhaps her bored mood, perhaps it was because she felt pity for this child, or perhaps...it was because seeing her there reminded her of something from a long time ago. Something she thought she had repressed completely. Regardless, today, she decided to take this chance to recruit another rapscallion to her crew. She darted forward and squatted down to the girl to make sure she was still breathing, which she was.

She wasn't wet save for the licking waters just barely reaching the toes of her shoes. Did she pass out near the beach? She couldn't have washed up, unless she had been here for quite some time. But she wasn't dead...was she in a coma? Plumeria picked the girl up and slung her over her shoulders, taking the dufflebag and securing it around herself in the process. She turned, and headed back for Po Town. It was a long walk but she could endure it. She felt as though she _had_ to.

\---

Gladion was sprawled out boredly on the couch, holding an open book above his face as he read it to pass the time. Every now and then Hau would check up on him, but he often shrugged off the boy with a moody grunt. Hau eventually caught on that Gladion probably wasn't very talkative...or social. Even so, he still checked in on Gladion since he was injured after all. Gladion understood he probably _had_ to do this despite his own personal wishes and tried his best to be nice.

The boy's annoying voice suddenly filled the air, startling Gladion and causing him to squirm in surprise and drop his book. "Hey! Gladion! You won't believe it!" Hau shouted carelessly. Something had made him so gleeful he had forgotten of Gladion's sensitive head. Gladion groaned in annoyance and glared at him, his hand resting on his temple once again, "Hau! _Noise_! My head still hurts!" Hau's grin became a sheepish frown as he waved his hands nervously, "A-Ah! Sorry!"

"What's so important you have to screech so annoyingly?"

"W-Well...it's your pokémon! Null was it? He's awake! And by the looks of it he's totally recovered!"

Gladion's eyes grew wide, "R...Really?! He's ok?!"

Hau nodded, "Mm! I know I said before you shouldn't walk...but I know you probably want to see him. And since he doesn't have a pokéball..." He shook his head to keep himself from muttering into nonsense. "D-Do you want me to take you to him?" Gladion nodded eagerly and sat up, allow Hau to pull his arm over his shoulder and help him stand from off the couch. Normally he'd just get up himself and deny any aid, but he had to see for himself if Null was truly alright. He wouldn't be able to rest until then.

Slowly, Hau guided Gladion into the back room where Type:Null laid on the bed in wait. The creature instantly recognized Gladion and made a low growling sound as it stared worriedly at Gladion. Hau gently let go of Gladion as he darted forward onto the bed and began checking Null for wounds. He sighed in relief when he found Hau was telling the truth, Null was the most healthy he had seen since discovering it's existence. "Thank Arecus...you're alright," he breathed shakily.

The Null nuzzled Gladion and he couldn't help but offer it a kind smile as he hugged it and pet the back of it's neck, "Sorry to worry you so much. This is what I get for not thinking ahead. I just hope you can forgive me for crashing our boat..." The Null made another noise akin to growling, and Hau wondered if it only sounded that way because of the mask on it's face. He stepped forward, catching Gladion's attention that would otherwise would've been locked onto Null had he been left to his devices.

"About that mask...tutu said not to touch it. But he seems uncomfortable in that thing. Do you want us to take it off?"

" _No_! ...N...No. That'll do more harm than good, trust me. This mask was made to protect it from itself believe it or not. It can't control it's power...so it's been sealed away so it can't hurt itself or anyone else."

"Oh man, that sounds awful. What kind of pokémon is it? I've never seen anything like it before."

"I'm sorry...but I just can't tell you that. Thank you for healing him, really. I don't know how I'd live with myself if something happened to him because of me."

"...You really care about him, huh?"

"I just...want him to be safe is all."

Hau smiled. Gladion hadn't feigned any enjoyment since he had been here, but it was nice to see him happy for once. He wasn't entirely sure what they had been through, but he could guess it was nothing pleasant. His grandfather had told him before about people like Gladion. People who had a harder time smiling than others. They also had a harder time trusting people. He knew the only reason Gladion was even tolerating him in kind was because they had done a great deal for him that he was grateful for.

It was the only way to explain his otherwise unfriendly behavior towards him. And what luck, that he happened to be found by the one person he had apparently been seeking out for help. Hau wasn't sure about a whole lot of what was happening with this kid he just met, but he knew he deserved a break at the very least. He just hoped his grandfather would let yet another loophole in the rules slide by. After all, if he were Gladion, he'd wanna see his pokémon for himself too.

Their reunion was cut short however, as the boys and the pokémon noticed the unmistakable sound of a door opening in the next room. Hau grinned, and, forgetting to grab Gladion, darted back out to the room they had come from. His suspicions were indeed correct, as his grandfather stood in the doorway of the front door with two little pokémon. A moody black and red cat, that paid no mind to Hau as it bee-lined for the couch to lay down and name. And a chubby feathered owlet, that cooed in greeting from atop Hala's shoulder.

"Ah, there you are! Sorry for being so late...turns out there were ehhh...a few complications."

"Tutu! You're finally back! Good news, the kid's awake! He's in your bedroom with that pokémon you found."

Hala raised a brow, "The bedroom? I thought I said not to let him leave the couch until I got back." Hau chuckled nervously and tapped his index fingers together as sweat dribbled down his temple. Here it comes. "W-Well...it's just that he was _really_ worried about it. A-And he's been so patient all day! It's not like I made him walk in on his _own_. I helped him 'n stuff!" Hala sighed but gave his grandson a gentle pat on the head, which prompted Hau to smile optimistically.

"I'll let you off this once, Hau. But next time...just do as I say. Got it?" Hala admonished. Hau nodded and looked between the two pokémon his grandfather had brought him. He made sure to keep his attention focused on Gladion for most of the day, but he'd be lying if he said he hadn't been more excited for this. "So, they took a Popplio? Well...I guess that's fine. It looks really girly when it gets stronger anyways." Hala chuckled at the silly observation.

"Let me guess, you want one that has a more masculine air about it?" he guessed. Hau nodded, "Mm! I think...I'll settle with Litten!" He scooped up the cat, causing it to mew in disapproval and grumpiness. "Then it's yours, my boy. Catch," Hala said, tossing Hau a shiny new pokéball for his Litten. Hau's eyes lit up like stars and he thanked his grandfather up and down before his focus snapped back to the events of earlier that day. He placed the Litten back in it's spot, allowing it to return to sleep peacefully.

"He said he can't walk very well like you predicted, and his head still hurts. He said he really wanted to speak with you when I told him you were the Kahuna."

"Did he tell _you_ anything?"

"He said he couldn't remember the crash all that well. Oh! A-And his name is Gladion! He says he's two years older than me. But he won't tell me where he came from or where he's going."

"That's...interesting. Stay out here, Hau. Keep an eye on Rowlet and Litten for me while I sort this out."

Hau nodded, holding his arm out for the Rowlet as it flew through the air and settled comfortably on Hau's upper-arm. Hala shuffled hastily into the back bed room, not at all surprised to find Gladion soothing his pokémon with soft patting and gentle whispers. Despite being healed physically, the Null seemed disturbed and uneased. Hala made it point not to be gone un-noticed as he entered the room, "Ahem." Gladion gasped and stared at Hala like a Deerling in headlights. His Null stared intently at the man.

Strangely, it didn't growl, most likely because it recognized him as yet another ally. The creature faintly but fondly remembered the man's face blurring in and out of it's vision in the first few hours of it's rescue. It's mind was eased when the kind man greeted him upon his wakening with strangely sweet beans. It couldn't quite understand what he was saying, but it knew it had a lot to be grateful for towards him. This comfort had only temporarily offset it's panic upon realizing his former comrade was no where to be seen.

It could barely move, but it didn't have to very much the past couple days as it was carried by several different nurse pokémon. It couldn't help but feel sorrowful for the condition of it's comrade once it had indeed saw him for itself when it was taken to the strange man's home. Gladion laid almost lifelessly on the couch, a strange young boy that much resembled the man watching him worriedly. It wasn't too happy at first at the idea that it had to be separated from Gladion, but it kept it's nerve in check.

For it, just like Gladion, knew not to bite the hand that fed you. It simply stared at the man quietly, and Gladion was left to mentally infer the kind of treatment it must've received from this people in his absence to not respond to his mere presence with aggression. He sat up, motioning slowly his way off of the bed as he tore himself hesitantly from his partner. Hala quickly stopped him however, and just as Hau had before, forced him to sit back down.

"Woah there. You're still _incredibly_ fatigued. It was probably already too much of a shove just to move you in here on your legs."

"S...Sorry. I just _really_ needed to speak with you, sir."

Hala chuckled, "You can do that from on the bed, can't you?"

"F-Forgive me. I'm still processing all this, I guess. I just need to get help as soon as possible."

"Well, you have it right here. Question is...what could an heir to the Aether Foundation possibly be doing crashing a boat into Melemele beach? And furthermore...being so secretive, even with his own rescuers?"

Gladion tensed as he gripped the legs of his pants. He should've figured that a Kahuna would know him...of course he did! Stupid! But then if he knew...shouldn't Hau have as well? Maybe he was just faking it. "Please, you have to understand. I probably look really suspicious, but you have to help me get out of here." Hala rubbed quizzically at his chin at the request, "And what 'here' might you be referring to, young Gladion?" Gladion tensed again before answering bluntly, "We're leaving Alola..."

The answer finally gauged an emotion from Hala, " _Alola_? Surely you're not serious."

"I trust you, Kahuna Hala. So I have no problem telling you that things at my home aren't at all well. My mother's gone insane to put it lightly, and she was having scientists torture this poor thing for her own selfish whims. She was going to have them all preserved since they were 'failures' in her own words. I tried to sneak all of them out with me, but I only managed to save one. I came here because I was hoping you could help me leave Alola, so she can't follow me or hurt Null."

"I admit this _is_ all incredibly hard to believe, young man...and you're right about one thing. You look terribly suspicious."

" _Please_ , sir. You're my only hope. I don't know where else to turn!"

"Hold on. I wasn't finished," Hala took a deep breath, "But...if you were _really_ lying to me, your pokémon wouldn't have been exhibiting such strange behavior up till this point. It's clear someone hurt it a great deal. As for you...well...it's obvious that you've been caught in someone's line of fire before as well."

"That's why we _have_ to leave. Somewhere she can't find us. Can you help me?"

Hala scratched at his chin in thought before answering hesitantly, "Hmmm...this sounds very difficult. But whether or not you want to leave now, it's obvious you have some recovering to do first. I will think about this...but I want _you_ to think about some things as well."

Gladion raised a brow cautiously, "Like...what?"

"Like whether or not this is really the right decision to make. I don't know what you and that pokémon have been through but I do know you won't find what you're looking for if your only plan is to run. After all, you crashed your boat. Running doesn't always go exactly how you plan it to."

Gladion sighed, as much as he hated to admit it, the old man was right. He was running with his tail between his legs like a coward and it had only ever gotten him so far in life. But was it really that ineffective? It dropped him right in front of the one person he needed to see most didn't it? But of course, it wasn't planned that way. And like he had noted before, it was unlikely his mother would look or find him here. The best place to hide was plain sight. That was a fact Gladion came to take advantage of over time.

Hala turned and returned to the doorway. Just before he left however, he turned his head to Gladion and spoke again, "For now...we'll keep you hidden up here. If you recover your legs and decide you need to go into town or the shopping district, I'll have my grandson accompany you. He's a loud boy, but he's not foolish. He'll make sure you're comfortable when I cannot be here. After all, Kahuna is a very busy position." Gladion nodded. Granted, he wasn't _too_ enthusiastic about spending more time with the other boy.

It's not that he hated him...but they definitely were like magnets. They would never get along, let alone be friends. How could they? Gladion hated smiling and hated loud noises. Worst of all he hated sunlight or just the daytime in general. He had a lot of reasons for his distaste of all these things, several originating in some way or another from his mother's cruel tendencies the past few years. But he would just have to grin and bare it. He was hoping the Kahuna would just accept his request, but he was nonetheless grateful he was at least considering it.

He turned his attention back to his Null as soon as Hala left their company. He was exhausted in more ways than one, but he still had enough energy to comfort his partner. Null had undoubtedly been through a lot since Gladion was knocked out. He wondered if it had actually slept since learning of his temporary coma. Then again...if Gladion were in Null's shoes, he wouldn't dare get a wink of sleep until he could no longer keep himself awake. He'd be far too worried that it would never wake.

As the sunlight began to fade behind the curtains of the room, darkness enveloped the two. Gladion slowly sank onto the bed and unconsciously snuggled closer to Null for warmth. He could've grabbed any number of the blankets sprawled on the bed...but he didn't. He felt perfectly fine beside his companion. From now on...he wouldn't dare let Null be alone. Never again. The two soon filled the previously quiet room with soft snores as they dreamed peacefully.

\---

"Big sis, I know this ain't really my place...but why the hell did ya bring a dainty little eyesore up here?"

Plumeria didn't turn to look at the grunt addressing her, continuing to re-apply her makeup in her busted vanity as best she could. On the floor lay an unconscious little girl with a dress and hair so bright she stood out like a highlighter, a blanket carefully placed over her to keep her warm. She hadn't told her boss about her little catch by the sea... _yet_. After all, she always had to make her new brothers and sister look... _presentable_.

"Because I felt like it. You never know when you've found something really rare you know..." Plumeria answered. The grunt played carelessly with her brightly colored pink hair, "But she don't look like nothin' special to me. She looks pretty _weak_ to be honest, big sis." Plumeria couldn't help but smirk. Ah, they were all the same. Once you hand them power and a place to sleep they forget their weakest parts. The parts that always had them on their knees _begging_ to join.

"You mean like _you_ did when you first joined us? Surely by now you know that almost everyone who comes here for their shot are just scared puppies that society kicked in the gut and left to starve in the streets." 

"But she looks filthy friggin' _rich_! Look at her!"

"Well what would a filthy rich girl be doing napping face-first in a bunch of crumbled up rocks and dust, then?"

"I dunno! Prolly some freaky fetish them upper crusts have nowadays!"

Plumeria couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous assumption. Her little siblings would truly stretch any bar just so they didn't have to admit they were wrong. How adorable...it was no wonder their boss always let them join their little party. Though she did wonder truly why a privileged looking girl such a this was in such an unfavorable position. Maybe some lower class people who had finally become fed up with her jumped her...but she didn't have a scratch on her save for the dress.

It was then Plumeria remembered one of her first experiences drinking alcohol. She was definitely younger than this girl the first time she got drunk. The memory brought out the possibility perhaps that was where this girl's problem lay. "Hmmm...perhaps our little princess here had her first taste of that good stuff," Plumeria guessed aloud. The grunt raised a brow at this, "Are y'all talkin' 'bout _that_ good stuff or...?"

Plumeria sneered, " _Alcohol_ , you numbskull." The grunt giggled and rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed. "R-Right! _That_ good stuff! Well...have you checked her bag yet?" The question caused Plumeria to still. She hadn't, actually, now that she thought about it. Why _didn't_ she check it yet? Plumeria stood up, and started towards the dufflebag that was tossed into the corner. She had only unzipped it by an inch or two before the sounds of stirring caused her to stop.

The two turned their heads to the waking child on the floor as she slowly opened her eyes and sat up. She rubbed at them, probably attempting to clear her vision, before she turned her head to look and see the grunt staring doe-eyed at her. She panicked, gripping onto her blanket and pulling it up in a poor and sloppy attempt to hide herself. She glared, trying her hardest to seem intimidating rather than _intimidated_.

"Wh...Who are you? Where are my pokémon?!" she shrieked.

Plumeria slowly approached her from behind, stopping mere inches from the edge of her blanket before placing a hand on her hip. " _We_ are the Skull Gang," she confessed, bluntly. The girl turned her head and squeaked in surprise at the other person she hadn't notice. The reaction forced an amused smirk from Plumeria, just before she squatted down to meet the child's eyes. She saw a lot of things in those eyes...confusion, fear, anger. But above all else, she saw something valuable.

She saw... _determination_.

"Hello there little lady...what brings _you_ out this way all on your little lonesome?"


	4. Chapter 3 - ...Disastrous In Execution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Gladion becomes desperate for answers, Lillie finds herself right in the center of one of the biggest crime syndicates of Alola.

"Good morning, Moon! Did you and Popplio sleep well?"

Moon offered a smile to her mother, as she stepped outside her room alongside her Popplio that waddled along the floor. She hadn't been in Iki Town very long, but on her first day moving in she had truly been blessed. Her very first pokémon! And a cutie at that. She wasn't quite expecting all the fanfare just for her, though she supposed that's just par for the course when your cousin is one of the leading professor's of the country.

"Good morning, mom. We slept fine. Popplio and I were just going to head out to the shopping district. Maybe get some training in. I'm just itching for a chance to _finally_ be a trainer and see all the cool gyms they have here!"

Moon's mother giggled at the enthusiast young lady she had raised. Truthfully, she had never really considered being a pokémon trainer in all her life. She just liked how adorable Meowths looked. Moon recalled the story of how her mother begged her parents for one until she finally received it as a domestic pokémon. It had been her companion for quite some time. And Moon had hoped she would have something similar to that with her own new addition to the family.

It had been a long and strenuous move, but Moon just couldn't bring herself to argue with her mother's decision to leave Kanto after what happened to her father. Moon was sure if she were her mother, she'd probably want to do the same thing. Her parents had known each other almost their whole life in Kanto, and their memories littered every inch of it. It must've been torture to even attempt to endure it, even if for her child's sake.

It was hard for Moon to keep her smile straight due to all of this. But she tried her hardest despite this. She grabbed her bright red hat from the table and pulled it over her long hair to secure it tightly. Just before she left, her mother gave her a light peck on the cheek and bid her daughter farewell and good luck. Moon hobbled down the steps with her pokémon and took the map from her bag. She was about to make way for the shopping district when she was stopped by none other than her enthusiastic cousin.

"'Ey! Moon! Over here, cousin!"

Moon groaned. She did truly like her cousin and all, but sometimes he was such a pain. He was nearly 30 now and yet he was still acting like he was her age. _I suppose that's why they call it a mid-life crisis_ she thought, turning around to face her cousin properly and greet him. He was standing on a path that she hadn't noticed before waving at him as he always did. Slowly, he approached her and stopped just a couple feet from her.

"Hey there Kukui...Popplio and I were just about to go out and do some training and shopping," Moon explained, hoping that'd be enough to get him off her back. Unfortunately, he had _other_ plans. "Training's important! But first, there's a little something I gotta do to your pokédex to help you when you start catchin' more pokémon!" he explained. Moon raised a brow, curiously. Wasn't the pokédex already more than useful enough? What would he need to add to it?

"Um...sure? I guess? But Kukui, wha-" She was silenced with one of the professor's large fingers before he interrupted her. "Ah! No questions! It's a surprise!" She gave him an annoyed look that he returned in kind with his normal grin. She sighed and gave in. "Alright, alright, just hurry up. I _reeeaaalllyyy_ wanna go get some new clothes!" Kukui laughed off her hastiness and lead her down the path he had been standing on previously.

 _This is gonna be a looonnng day_ Moon thought.

\---

"Hello there little lady...what brings _you_ out this way all on your little lonesome?"

Lillie stared precariously at the woman before her. She didn't like this. She didn't like this one bit. What's worse is she had no idea where she even was. She tried her hardest to glare at the woman staring at her. She had dark skin, and her strange multi-colored ponytails jutted out from her hair clips that scarcely resembled a skull. And she wore rather unsightly dark make-up that forced Lillie's eyes to stay trained on hers from the sheer distraction they were. 

Panic was setting in quickly in her mind, and she had to say something to keep herself from feigning any weakness. She wouldn't be a coward...she would assert herself. "And where is 'all this way', if I-I may ask?" It was a serious question. She definitely had no idea where she was at all. The last thing she recalled was a bright light piercing through her dufflebag when she was sure she was cornered. Then it was all dark from there.

"Po Town, of course. But if you wanna get into semantics...you're on Ula'Ula," the woman explained, her brow raised curiously at Lillie's question. Lillie's resolve had completely broken at that point, and she could no longer keep up the act. Her face contorted into noticeable horror as she turned her gaze away and grasped at her hair with her bare hands. How was that possible? She was in the Aether Foundation, wasn't she? Surely they wouldn't have transported her here!

But why was she _here_ , then? Her internal panic began to seep out as she remembered her bag. She very slowly turned her gaze to find it in a corner. She began to sweat as loads of questions began to plague her mind. Her thoughts were so loud she completely missed it when the women in the room with her continued to speak to her. A sudden hand snapping it's fingers in front of her face brought her back to her location.

"Hey! I _don't_ like being ignored, princess. Answer my question." The woman looked incredibly impatient, and Lillie swallowed as she tried to calm herself. She had to think of some kind of excuse, how she got here didn't matter right now. She just had to find a way to leave. "I..." she trailed off, remembering what the woman had previously said. She was startled by her presence, so she missed it at first, but now she finally had the mind to process it.

"You...said you're with the Skull Gang."

"That I did. Who's asking?"

"...I'm...looking for help. I came here to find someone who could make me a strong trainer."

"Oh...? Is that so?"

"Yes. I've heard about you guys before. On the news. You're a ruthless gang that steals pokémon and took over an entire town."

"Glad to hear we're leaving an impression~..." The woman cooed, seeming pleased with this explanation.

Lillie had indeed seen them on the news several times before, but had never had to worry about them since she had always been on the lone island with her family. They were crooks, but that was putting it lightly. After a while the police began to notice that many recruits consisted of school drop-outs, small time criminals charged with things like theft and trespassing, and general delinquents or street punks. All lead by what the media dubbed "Alola's Most Famous Man-Child", a man named Guzma.

No one was quite sure what made him so special among the recruits observed. He was quite frankly no different in all that much from them. The police eventually concluded it was because he was the only adult that told these kids what they wanted to hear. One of their most famous misdeeds was raiding and taking over an entire town on Ula'Ula, named Po Town. They built up walls all around it so no one could get in without their intervention as a final measure. It was their personal playground now.

And Lillie was right in the center of it all. There was no more perfect a place for her to find someone to make her stronger than here. And she knew this. "I...I'll do whatever you want me to! But please...make me stronger! I have to be strong enough to protect myself! I don't wanna be a baby anymore!" Lillie admitted, her desperation seeping into her voice on accident. The woman blinked at her, then stood up, keeping her gaze trained downward at the young lady.

"You want to be stronger, huh? Depends kid. You're gonna have to give me a real convincing sob story for me to believe you're anything like the rest of us. Judging from your clothes...you're a real priss. The kinda gal with enough money to get whatever she damn well pleases from anybody. So tell me...what is it we could _possibly_ give you that your wealth can't?"

Lillie scowled, gripping the blanket that was laid over her. She trained her eyes down as she dug her fingers into the cloth tensely. The woman noticed her shaking ever-so-slightly. "My mother...she's a monster. All my life she's told me what to do, what to wear, how to act, how to talk...and I used to think that I could rely on my big brother. But he abandoned me. He left me alone with _her_. But I can't punch up at her the way I am now. I need someone strong to teach me how to beat her."

She finally met the woman's eyes again, "I need someone like the Skull Gang to make me strong enough to stand up to her! I don't wanna run away like my brother did! I wanna be better!"

The woman stared at her, seeming shocked. As did the other girl whom had remained quiet throughout this entire exchange. Lillie couldn't tell what either of them were thinking at all. Then the woman turned her back to Lillie, and walked over to a busted vanity. Lillie became anxious at first of what she might say...the worst thing she could've received now was rejection. But instead, she received pity. 

"Alright, princess...I'll get you your shot." Lillie was shocked, but nodded quietly without moving from her spot. It was quiet for a few more moments, before the woman spoke up again, turning her head to look at Lillie, "Well? What're you sitting around for? Your legs work, don't they? We've got work to do if we're gonna present you to the boss." Lillie nodded nervously, slowly standing from her spot and letting the blanket fall from her grasp.

The woman turned her eyes to the other girl in the room, "Go get my makeup kit and my suit-case. This is gonna take me a while." The girl nodded obediently and left the room without another word. Lillie sat on the dirty wooden stool and stared into the broken mirror, thoughts clouding her head again. The woman placed her arm casually atop of Lillie's head, leaning onto her scalp as if it were a school desk, tiredly.

The woman's eyebrows raised suddenly as if she had realized something. "Oh...right. Names are probably in order. I'm Plumeria. I'm the Admin for this little gang."

"I'm Lillie. It's nice to meet-"

"Ah. Stop that right there. If you're gonna be one of us you gotta stop being so formal."

"S-Sorry."

"And don't apologize, be more hard-headed!"

"So- ...Um...y-yes?"

Plumeria sighed a sigh that deformed into a groan. This was going to be a piece of work indeed. She took her arms off of Lillie's head and instead placed them on her shoulders. "Normally, I'd just throw whatever the hell I wanted on ya to make you look nice and tough for the big boy. But since you said you've always been _told_ how to dress...if you wanna make some suggestions, I'll consider them."

"Suggestions..." Lillie muttered, thoughtfully. She like the sound of that a-lot.

\---

Hau laid on the couch, snoring loudly like thunder as he drooled. His Litten simply swatted at his master's face ever-impatiently. Though it seemed no manner of doing so would wake him. Regardless, it was far too occupied in it's new game to notice the large chimera-like creature stalking ever-so quietly past them. On it's back was Gladion, who stared nervously at the back of Hau's head, hoping he wouldn't wake up.

There were a lot of words Gladion would use to describe his plan. Stupid. Sloppy. Risky. Foolish. But nonetheless he decided he had to go through with it. He knew he shouldn't leave, not in his condition, and even his Null had protests. But ultimately, Gladion's determination to find answers outweighed his sense of logic. He would return. It's not like he wasn't going to respect the Kahuna's wishes to think about his whole plan to leave Alola.

But he had to find alternatives as soon as possible if he was to stay here rather than leave. And he didn't like the idea of laying in bed until he could get up and move around himself. Especially when he'd have to go outside with Hau. He was in no mood for Hau's antic shouting or constant questions. He had work to do. Slowly, and carefully, the two managed to slip out the side door and into the forestation that hid their presence like a blanket.

He sighed in relief when the door quietly shut behind them and they could carry on with their journey in peace. Quietly, he directed his Null to head up the path that lead North. Luckily for them, no one in particular was walking up this way just yet. It was still early in the morning, so they had plenty of time to investigate and return all before Hau even noticed they had ever left. They reached the top with ease, coming to a rickety looking bridge that was anything but stable.

Null shook it's head at this and took a few steps back, it's protests re-surfacing. Gladion pat it's neck to calm it, whispering reassurances to it quietly. "Easy, Null. It's fine...they wouldn't leave it like this if it were _that_ dangerous. Besides...you know we have to find a plan B as soon as possible. These ruins might just give us what we need." The Null was still unconvinced. It was already weary about taking Gladion out this way in his current condition, this bridge was doing _nothing_ to settle it's worries.

"Null, we don't have time to worry about me. I know you're scared, but I am too. The hard part is already over. Let's just get this over with so we can go back. And I _promise_ I will lay down for the rest of the day. Alright?" he bargained. The Null hesitated, but stepped forward towards the bridge, huffing impatiently. It was still unsure about this entire plan, but at least Gladion would get some rest when they were done.

Null carefully stepped onto the first board, and began it's cautious tread along the bridge. Gladion tensed at every creak, even if he refused to admit it aloud for fear Null may change it's mind and turn back. By _some_ miracle however, they successfully made it across. They both couldn't help but collectively sigh with relief. Finally they could relax and continued forward to the archway that lead to the ruins before them. Gladion couldn't help but be in awe of just the entrance on it's own.

Null continued forward, until finally they had reached the shrine of the island Tapu. It was empty, save for themselves. It was then Gladion realized he had no idea what exactly he was expecting to find here save for the island guardian. However, his curiosity was short lived as the guardian's cry filled the air with such force Gladion could've sworn there was some kind of back draft coming in from behind him. He looked up and found Tapu Koko resting atop the shrine's peak patiently.

Null got down on it's front legs and bowed respectfully, a movement Gladion hadn't noticed as he stared intently at the guardian. He swallowed nervously, still not noticing when Null stood back up. He spoke hesitantly, "Tapu Koko...you're the guardian of Melemele. P-Please, we need help. We're planning to leave Alola, but...we need a back-up plan. I'm not sure how you could help us but...i-if you could at least give me a hint as to what I should do, I could really use some kind of advice."

Koko rose up from it's resting spot and inched closer to the boy and his companion silently. They were both anxious at this movement, Null ready to be on the defensive if it attacked, and Gladion awaiting it's next move before he would tell his Null to flee. It offered a hand, a gesture Gladion didn't understand at first. Eventually, though, he realized what the Koko was proposing and gave it his hand curiously. It chirped as it covered Gladion's hand with both it's own.

He felt the pokémon put something in his palm just before it removed itself from him and freed his hand. He pulled it back, staring down at a strange golden crystal with a precarious logo embedded in it. It looked like a lightning bolt but there was something... _off_ about it. He had no idea what this thing even was, but before he could ask, he found that the Tapu was gone. He was quiet for a moment, before looking back down at his Null to give it an order.

"Let's...go back. Maybe we can ask the Kahuna about this thing. We'll just say we found it in the mattress or something," he said. The Null seemed a little unsure of the half-baked explanation he came up with for it, but it turned to leave nonetheless. It was quiet the rest of the way out of the shrine. Gladion just stared down at the crystal in his hand, forgetting completely about the obstacle that was going back over the unstable bridge. Truthfully, even after all this, he was starting to feel a little guilty for sneaking out in the first place. 

Null didn't hesitate this time as it stepped back onto the creaking wooden structure nervously. It took measures to make sure it did nothing differently from it's last journey across the boards. However, they had barely even made it halfway to the the other side when a familiar, annoying voice drained the color from Gladion's face as he was forced to look up and pay attention to his surroundings.

"Gladion!"

"Hau...?!"

Just at the edge of the trail that lead back to Iki town was Hau who was accompanied by his Litten and his grandfather's Rowlet, and...a girl? He had definitely never seen her before, and her pale skin made Gladion conclude she probably wasn't Alolan. And she, just like Hau, had dark colorless eyes, though not nearly as piercingly black. She had long black hair, and wore a strange red beanie that resembled a hibiscus flower. Her stylish clothing was offset only by her cheap looking purse. And beside her was a little sea-lion pokémon. But most strangely was the red creature bobbing about in the air next to her...was that a pokémon too? 

"Incoming pokémon from above! Watch out!" it spoke in a digitized tune of a voice.

Gladion turned his head behind him to see a flock of Spearow dart right for him and Null instinctively jumped forward to escape them. This proved to be a mistake, as it failed to land on the other side, instead hitting the second board just before the edge. _They fell_. This prompted the two trainers to dart forward, and Gladion saw his life flash before his eyes for the second time that week. Time almost seemed so slow that it stopped as they kept sinking. The last thing he heard was Hau's voice cry out in an alien desperation he hadn't yet heard from him.

" _GLADION_!!!"


	5. Chapter 4 - Making Ends Meet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillie is finally taken to meet the big bad boss, Guzma, and is tasked with convincing him she's worthy of his teachings.

" _GLADION_!!!"

"Popplio! Bubble!"

The small creature quickly hopped over the side and taking in a deep breath, blew out a bubble from it's nose that enveloped Gladion and Null safely just before they hit the rocks jutting out from the waters below. The Popplio landed precariously atop it's balloon, gripping onto it but careful not to apply too much pressure. Slowly, it's safety net rose and both Hau and the girl stepped back as the Rowlet gently blew a gust of wind with it's wings to propel it over the safety of land.

Once it did, Popplio hopped off it's peak and into the arms of it's trainer. The Rowlet carefully pecked it's beak into the bubble, and it exploded with a loud bang as the water from inside it collapsed onto the dirt with it's captive party. Gladion coughed, sucking in the oxygen he had been deprived of as his Null grunted in exhaustion. His fit caused him to fall from his pokémon's back accidentally, and Hau ran forward to check him for injuries.

"Gladion! A-Are you ok?" Gladion heaved, unable to answer Hau in his current state. Instead, he simply pointed to his Null as a means to ask Hau to check on him first. The girl stepped forward and looked over the creature carefully, flinching from any physical contact when it growled at her in what she perceived as annoyance. "Your pokémon is fine by the looks of things. He probably took some damage from that since it _is_ an attack...but it looks like it wasn't much."

Eventually Gladion's breathing was regulated and he had ejected any un-wanted water from his throat. He looked up and finally noticed Hau was holding his left wrist. He growled and pulled it out of Hau's grasp shortly before rubbing it anxiously. "D-Don't touch me! I'm _fine_ ," he grunted, bitterly. Hau scowled, a feat Gladion didn't think he was capable of until this point, " _Fine_?! You almost became fish food back there! What're you _doing_ out here?!"

"I just wanted to ask the island guardian for help, alright?! I was gonna come back!"

"Come back in _what_? _Pieces_? Cause that's what would've happened back there if Moon here hadn't saved you!"

"Well I-" he paused, "Wait...Moon?"

He turned and finally took notice of the young lady who had been standing witness to all of this. She had a brow raised at the boys, and seemed more curious of their arguing rather than perturbed by it. She took a step towards them cautiously, "Yeah. That's my name. You're welcome, by the way." Gladion didn't look at her when he muttered a "Thank you" under his breath and pouted bitterly. While she had every right to be snarky, he still less than appreciated her tone. He knew he was going to get a lecture from the old man at this point and he was in no mood for it at all.

"I happened to run into your friend here who was worried sick about you. So I decided I'd help him out," she explained. It was quite a strange addition to her schedule that day, one she hadn't been expecting at all. After all, she had come to Iki Town to speak with the Kahuna. But shocked was she to see a strange boy and two other pokémon she recognized from the day before. He was nearly out of breath when she approached him, he kept rambling up and down about a blonde boy with green eyes and pompous attire that apparently was gravely injured. She felt too bad for this kid to just leave him to his own devices like that.

Hau turned to look at Gladion again, and it seemed like he was about to yell at him. But Moon noticed him flinch back when he finally saw how defeated and weak he was. As if he were just dreading something inevitable on his own little island. She didn't know nearly anything about these two, for all she knew they were brothers or something like that...but she seriously doubted it. Regardless, the hesitation she saw Hau display told her one thing for certain. He was too soft. Hau sighed and pulled the now soggy bandages off of Gladion's head carefully.

"C'mon, we gotta get you back to the house and re-wrap. These aren't any good now." Null slowly stood up, shaking the water off of itself with a grunt before preparing to help Hau put Gladion back on it's back. However, the familiar cry of the Tapu rang out clear as a bell for everyone. They looked up and stared in awe as Tapu Koko darted past them before disappearing back into the thick woods. At first, none of them were sure what just happened...until Hau noticed a sparkling stone in the dirt.

"Hey...look!" he shouted, drawing everyone's attention to where his finger was now pointed. Moon stepped forward, and picked it up, staring at it curiously. "What is this thing? Rotom, have you ever seen it before?" The red creature Gladion had previously had confusions about shook it's head. Looking at it now, it did have strangely similar features to that of a Rotom. After all, they were known for their ability to possess electrical-based objects. But what on Earth _was_ it possessing exactly?

"No, I don't think so. Maybe the Professor would know!" Rotom suggested. Moon nodded in agreement, and put the stone in her purse, which was already stuffed with several items. She would have to get a bigger bag soon if this kept up. Hau helped Gladion back onto his Null, ignoring his constant protests and complaints that he could get on himself. Moon swiftly departed, leaving the two by themselves to chat out whatever personal problems they had to sort out. She would keep her word to Hau not to tell anyone what happened. After all, they probably would be in big trouble for breaking that bridge.

The boys were silent for a long time, before Hau sighed again and hesitantly spoke up, "Listen...I know you just wanna get some help. But you know you could've gotten really hurt back there, right?" He didn't look at Hau. Truthfully, he did know this. And his fear nearly paralyzed him to the point where he couldn't hear much in that moment. But he _had_ remembered hearing Hau's broken cry for him when he began to fall. He could've made any argument back at Hau, but in truth he didn't have the energy and he felt obligated to simply just agree. After all, for all he knew, seeing that nearly scarred this kid.

"I swear it wasn't supposed to turn out this way. I...I was just desperate. I know I'm not making it easy for you to understand me here, but trust me, you'd do the same thing if you were me." Hau couldn't bring himself to disagree with what Gladion was saying. He was right, he _wasn't_ making it easy, and Hau probably _would_ do something like this if he were Gladion. _If he were Gladion_. He wasn't, though. Truthfully, he was starting to get frustrated with this guy. He just kept repeating himself and something drove him to keep his mouth shut despite how apparently desperate his situation was.

Then it had clicked in Hau's mind. Of course he was acting so irrational and reckless. It was desperation. Sure, Hau had never felt that desperate for anything before in his life. He could never claim to understand Gladion's feelings. But perhaps he _could_ justify them. It was clear from the squirrely yet secretive way he'd been acting up till this point. He was scared of something. His desperation was driven out of him by fear, fear that jabbed at him from all sides in any circumstance. In any time or place. With any people. Hau realized this...and he _didn't_ like it.

"I won't tell tutu what happened..."

Gladion's eyes widened at this, and he finally looked Hau in the eye. His brows were raised so high they almost jumped off his forehead. What reason did Hau have to keep this a secret? Shouldn't he tell he grandfather that he snuck out here without their permission and almost got himself killed? True, Gladion justified all this with his results, with his reasons for even being here in the first place. But how could Hau _possibly_ justify it in _any_ way from where he was standing? He couldn't possibly be this kind.

"What...?"

"I won't tell him. If I did, he probably would trust what you say even _less_ and be less open to help you. That's just how adults are...that's just how _he_ is. But I can tell you're really scared of something, and if that's true, he _has_ to help you. So _I'm_ gonna help you too. But, that _doesn't_ mean I'm happy you did all this..."

"...Why?"

Hau raised a brow at the question and began to feel a little impatient, "I think it's pretty obvious why I'm not happy about it."

"No, I mean...why are you helping me? You don't know me. For all you know I could be lying."

"I know liars. You're not a liar. You're kinda weird and really grumpy, and...maybe a bit dumb. But you're not a liar."

"H-Hey!"

Hau chuckled at the embarrassed blush he got out of Gladion, "Hey, you gotta admit it was kind of a stupid plan. Your pokémon is _huge_ dude. That is a _lot_ of faith you put in that bridge . Even I didn't trust that bridge with so much as a Pichu!" He laughed, and Gladion just turned his face away from him. Frankly, he was just glad he didn't have to worry about Hala chewing him out. Perhaps he had misjudged Hau too harshly. He wasn't just some naive child. But that could prove troublesome if things kept up as they did. Though one thing about all this _still_ perplexed him.

"Wait...you were dead asleep when we left. How did you find out we were gone so fast?"

"Oh well that's easy. Rowlet here saw you guys leave and pulled my hair to wake me up! He must've seen you guys head up this way 'cause he lead us right to you!"

"... _Dammit_."

\---

Guzma sat impatiently atop his throne. It wasn't an ideal day for him to make an appearance, he had a massive hangover upon waking up that morning and definitely wasn't ready to see anyone. The only company he had was the massive Goslipod that sat on his bed eating out of a huge pile of food the grunts had gathered up for it. It had been a few hours since he woke, so the pain had subsided just a bit. But he was still advised by his right-hand woman to stay indoors for the day.

Of course, this is why he had a laptop stolen and prepared precisely for days such as this. No one knew what exactly he used it for when he was bored, and he wouldn't dare let anyone, not even Plumeria get a glance. Only _he_ knew about it's contents. Well...him and his companion pokémon, that is. It was like that for most things concerning Guzma's private whereabouts or doings. Regardless, today was a shrill, boring day. And he _hated_ it.

Fortune appeared to be in his favor this particular day however, when a knock on the door caught his attention. He groaned in annoyance, as per usual, "Who the hell is it? I'm tryin' to get over my stupor here." Plumeria's sarcastic tone drifted from the cracks under the door to signal her presence, "It's just me, ya jack ass. I came to check up on you. And I've got someone for you to meet. She's a real doozy."

Guzma's brow furrowed curiously. Another social reject coming to his doorstep on their hands and knees? The lengths to which Alola would go to kick someone down just never seemed to end. He closed his laptop and sat up, "Alright, bring 'em in then." The door creaked open as Plumeria stepped inside. She stepped forward, and at first it appeared she was alone. Until she stepped aside to reveal the new recruit in question.

Her hair was short, and looked as if it were sloppily cut. Most likely with a knife. A single braid hung down from behind her ear that had a blue highlight wrapped in it. The rest of her hair was a bright blonde. She wore a gothic dress, sleeveless and torn in few places, and it's only color aside the black being a dark red and a contrasting blue that matched her highlights. Around her dainty little neck was a choker with a Skull Gang medallion hanging loosely off of it. She wore gloves that stopped at her knuckles and reached up to her elbow that resembled fishnets, also black as her overall appearance was.

Her cleated boots more resembling the punkier style Skull Gang members bore had metal spikes dazzled about it and tall heels that made her just an inch taller than she actually was. Her striped socks baring the same colors as her dress, also had holes torn about in them. It was all topped off with an adorable little black tiara atop her head. She had unsightly make-up that was as over-board as Plumeria's but somehow looked a bit more fetching on this kid. Wrapped around her shoulder was a dufflebag that didn't match any of her appearance, being a brighter but dull gray with a red pattern resembling a pokéball.

"Of course, I prettied her up for you before I brought her up here. Found her out cold on the beach. When she woke up she convinced me so I decided I'd let you hear her out," Plumeria explained. All the while, the girl remained silent and had an intent, determined look in her eyes as she stared at the man before her. Guzma liked that look. He smirked, "Alright kid, tell big bad Guzma what's got you up in such a twist?" The girl nodded and stepped forward, not taking her eyes off of his for a single moment. She only had one chance to make her case...she had to be convincing.

"Thank you, mister Guzma. My name is Lillie. I'm here because my brother abandoned me...he left me to deal with my mother all on my own. But the thing is...I can't deal with her. I'm too _weak_. I need to be stronger. So I come here to ask for your help. I know only _you_ can give me what I'm looking for. You're a strong trainer...I've seen the way you fight on the news. I want you to teach _me_ how to fight that way! So I can stand up to my mother, so I don't have to lean on my brother anymore!"

"And tell me kiddo...what exactly did your mother do to you that has you so desperate to punch up?"

"My mother...she's not even a person anymore. Ever since we lost our father...she's started going mad. She's done horrible things to pokémon. She's tortured them. And one time...she even broke my brother's hand for disobeying her. As for me...she _controlled_ me. Like some kind of brain-sucking creature. Where I was, what I did, what I wore, what I ate, _everything_! I'm _tired_ of it! But if I stood up to her the way I am now...I'd just be a causality."

Guzma frowned. He usually lost his spunk and had a boiling rage whenever one of these delinquent kids came to him for a home. Every story he heard was always despicable. But this one especially turned something in his stomach. It was difficult to tell under all that makeup and black clothing, but once she uttered her name there was no doubt about it. This was _that_ Lillie. Just as she had seen _him_ on the news, he had seen _her_ on the news as well. Not as often, granted, but he knew of her.

Even if he hadn't, he knew of her and Gladion through the President herself. He and Plumeria had been working under her for a few months now, but Guzma knew far more than Plumeria did. It was just the perk of being the big boss that she always called upon. The only reason he had agreed to work with her in the first place is because he liked all the crazy she was spouting about rare pokémon that were the strongest creatures in the universe. Or as she called them...her "Precious Ultra Beasts".

She scarcely mentioned her kids, but she mentioned them nonetheless. Guzma never knew all that much about them. All he had ever heard from Lusamine is that her son was a "troubled boy" and that her daughter was "a perfect little flower". Of course, learning this information about her parenting changed nothing in Guzma's plans to continue working with her. But he'd be damned if he went back on the personal vow he made to himself.

"What do you got?"

At first Lillie didn't seem to understand the question, until she realized he was looking at her bag. Carefully, she unzipped it and dug through it until she pulled out two pokéballs and tossed them in the air to call forth her companions. Two tiny pokémon emerged, a puppy and an adorable, puffy creature with horns that chirped in confusion. They weren't the most intimidating pokémon, but even Guzma knew that with time and training they could be a valuable asset to this girl.

"I know it doesn't look like much...but that's where you come in. Please, I have no where else to go." That last sentence, the same one he always heard from these kids had solidified it. He stood up, making his way up to the girl slowly as she shifted back a bit nervously. She was trying her hardest to be brave, but she still had some ticks that needed fixing. This wouldn't be a problem, though. He was good at building up their nerves by now. After all, he too used to struggle with keeping his resolve hardened in the face of foes or figures of power.

He reached out and pat her head, and Plumeria smirked, seeming pleased with his approval. Lillie seemed surprised with the gesture, but not displeased. He took his hand off her slowly and gave her a smug grin, "Alright kid, you sold me. We'll whip ya into somethin' _real_ scary." Lillie's eyes sparkled but she didn't smile, simply nodding as she gave him a hardy, "Yes, sir!" Guzma chuckled, "I prefer 'Boss', but...baby steps I guess. It's not easy to break that whole 'prim and proper' schpiel these upper crusts are teachin' kids like you nowadays."

Lillie called back her pokemon and put them back in the bag, zipping it shut once again. Neither of them noticed, but she left a small opening just before completely sealing it shut. She was quietly grateful that she appeared to be the only one that could hear the soft breathing emitting from the bag.

\---

"Good evening, Madam President," Wicke greeted as she entered Lusamine's office. She was off-put however by the scattered mess of papers and the chair that should've been behind her desk, sprawled out on the floor near the doorway. Her eyes wandered to every last detail scattered about the floor before the president's voice called her attention back to the woman who was staring quietly out the window behind her desk before her.

"Wicke...my dearest, most _treasured_ colleague..."

She swallowed, "M-Madam...your office..."

"Hm?" her head turned ever so slightly, but her face was still invisible to the poor professor. "Oh...nevermind all that."

"B-But-"

"Tell me...don't you just _hate_ children...?"

"M-Madam! W-Well I...I don't rightly think I do. Whatever has you asking such things?"

"Oh Wicke...I've done it again...I've been relieved of a heavy burden that plagued me so. A burden that stole my research, and abused me. A burden that fled just like her cowardly brother with my _precious_ toys."

"Madam...?" Wicke asked nervously.

Lusamine finally turned to face Wicke, her chin resting on the back of her hand as if pondering. Her eyes were red and puffy, and she had clearly been crying a great deal for a while. A maddening grin stretched across her face that made Wicke gasp and flinch back. This woman...whoever she was, she wasn't herself. There was something wrong with her. Something seriously, _horribly_ wrong. Few things had pushed Wicke's buttons about her behavior since it began. Her eye twitched, recounting every sign up until this point as Lusamine slowly approached her.

She remembered it all. She remembered telling the children the horrible news when their mother was too unstable to do so herself. She remembered how Lusamine stopped coming to the mansion to tuck them in, play with them, even have meals with them. She remembered the boy...Arceus rest his soul, he was just _scared_ when he lashed out at his mother for the first time. She remembered being called to Lusamine's mansion. She remembered the blood...the boy's hand...it was purple. He was crying. She remembered Lillie had stopped smiling one day. 

She stopped wearing her hair up in a ponytail like she had always liked. Or even wearing her favorite clothes. She wore the same clothes every day...clothes that resembled that horrible beast. She remembered the day that Gladion had broken into the basement labs and stole the Type:Nulls. She remembered watching the security footage with Lillie for the first time, her heart aching at the poor boy's desperate escape. This wasn't right. _None_ of this was right. But her cowardice drove her to blindly follow her boss's orders despite how much she wished to protect those children from her. To protect her friend, her _dear_ friend from _herself_. 

"I've children no more, Wicke! I'm a single, un-burdened woman! And it's beautiful! Children are such disgusting, selfish, _ungrateful_ little creatures! I can't _believe_ I went so long tolerating such abuse, no amount of endurance was worth it at all! I see clearly now, Wicke..."

"Madam P-President...? Where is...young Madam Lillie?"

"Call our scouts on the islands, would you? I'm adding another name to the list of people to watch out for. We've got another thief on the loose with our hard work. And this time...I'm going to _break_ them for what they've done to me."


	6. Chapter 5 - Fixer Upper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hau and Gladion reconcile, meanwhile Lillie finally tells Cleffa the truth.

Gladion sat patiently still as Hau applied new bandages to the wound that had yet to heal on his head. It had been aching since his rescue from the bridge, but he forced himself not to complain any further. For the second time that week his lungs were nearly crushed trying not to drown. He was starting to think he was a magnet for it. He still felt cold and wet, even though he was wrapped in a blanket. Eventually, Hau finished wounding the gauze securely enough around Gladion's head and stepped back.

"Alright...that should do it. Still not really used to this sort of thing but I think you should be fine. At least until tutu comes home to check on your condition," he assured, gently. Gladion huffed at the mention of the old man, still grateful Hau would keep his mouth shut about the whole ordeal. Hau noticed this, and handed him a cup just before sitting down on a couch across from him. "Here...this should help the headache. I made it myself this morning with tutu's help."

Gladion raised a brow. How did he know he had a headache? Maybe it was just obvious after having to hold his breath for as long as he did...or even just being plain stressed out enough. He didn't respond despite his curiosity, and simply sipped his drink quietly. They didn't talk for several minutes, which gave them plenty of time to just think to themselves. Gladion's annoyance melted into confusion, anger, and then guilt as he began thinking over what had just transpired.

He didn't understand this kid at all. How could he be so considerate and trusting of him to give his word he wouldn't tell the old man what he had done? Perhaps he was just bluffing. No...that didn't line up at all. Gladion never once got that impression from Hau. He wasn't cunning or smart, at least not _that_ cunning or smart. And he had no reason to deceive Gladion. He already hit the nail perfectly on the head. 

_"I can tell you're really scared of something."_

Gladion slumped in his seat, remembering all-too clearly just how well he had guessed Gladion's resolve. That was the simplest way to put it, in fact. Was he just really good at reading the emotions of others? That was a skill that would be detrimental to Gladion, especially if he had to spend most of his free time with this kid until he departed. He wasn't interested in making friends or pulling Hau into this complete mess of a situation. Even _if_ Hala seemed to detest him lying to his face.

Hau, however, was merely just more and more anxious as the silent drifted onward. He was definitely shaken by what he had seen earlier, and he knew he probably wouldn't be able to forget it any time soon. He wondered though, if this was even remotely what it was like. To feel the kind of fear he knew Gladion was feeling. And even he knew if not today, eventually he would probably heal from the experience. He couldn't imagine having to go through something like that so often that he'd never be the same.

This prompted him to infer that perhaps Gladion was just like him, once. Or at least...once he was more able to trust people. More capable of smiling or enjoying himself. It had always irked Hau when he was unable to help someone that couldn't smile or enjoy life the same way he could. But at the same time, especially now with this kid, he understood perfectly well why he wasn't capable enough. Or at the very least, he wasn't capable enough _yet_. Hau gasped in surprise when the long silence was shattered by Gladion's muffled voice.

He didn't quite hear what he said, but he could've sworn it was...

"Huh?"

"...I...I said I'm _sorry_."

He had guilt stamped over his face, and Hau noticed his glazed eyes. His hardened resolve was cracking and close to breaking. Perhaps the near-death experience had shaken him up. After all, he hardly remembered the first one. So it wasn't far-fetched that it wouldn't have too much of an impact on him or at least if it did, it would be delayed. This one, however, he recognized crystal clear. "Why're you apologizing?" Hau asked, worried that Gladion might have been seriously affected by the experience after all.

"I shouldn't have made so much trouble for you. You and your grandfather both are just trying to help me get better. I put Null and myself at risk when I should've just listened to you guys."

"I already told you, it's fine-"

"It's _not_ fine! You were right, I could've died back there. _Null_ could've..."

"...H-Hey. I said I'd help you, didn't I? It's alright. Even if you do something stupid like that again, I'll just be here to stop you before you hurt yourself. That's kind of why I'm lazing around here with you guys instead of training."

"I don't understand how you can just forgive me. You don't _know_ me."

Hau blinked and shrugged, "I kinda just always wanted to help people even if I don't know them. You could call it a habit. But we already went over all of this before. So, why are you _really_ apologizing?"

Gladion sighed, not wanting to admit to feeling bad for Hau. Despite his best efforts to offer him sympathy, sympathy he knew he deserved at the very least. But Hau merely just returned that sympathy in kind and it confused him even more. However, he did owe him an answer, if nothing else. "I...I didn't mean to scare you. I'm trying to get out of here in the first place so I won't have to cause trouble for anybody else, but I ended up doing that in my haste anyways," Gladion admitted, hesitantly.

This answer seemed to surprise Hau. A reaction Gladion wasn't really expecting, but he supposed it was warranted. Hau didn't respond for a moment before he uttered his own apology, "Well...I'm sorry too. For yelling at you, I mean. I know you weren't in any mood for it at all. I could tell when I saw your face after Moon told you how I found her." Gladion's brows raised in surprise at this apology. It was true, he was definitely in no state for Hau's brief lecture when it had happened.

He had just survived nearly drowning to death for Arceus sake. Even if Hau had first made sure he was alright. Gladion certainly didn't help by instigating it with his own attitude towards Hau. But it was something he just couldn't help. His sensitivity to his hand wouldn't allow him any other reaction to Hau's concern. "Y...You don't have to apologize for that. I was the one who was being rude. You were only trying to make sure I wasn't hurt."

Hau couldn't help but smile and he chuckled a bit, "We're...really bad at this, aren't we?" Gladion lifted his head to get a better look at Hau. The question drew out his confusion once again. "What do you mean?" he asked. Hau's smile turned into a sheepish frown as he waved his hands nervously, "A-Ah! I just meant...w-well I'm not all that good at being sensitive and you're not really good at um...l-letting people help you. N-Not that that's...! I mean-"

"Relax, airhead. I'm not offended. You're right...I am bad at accepting help even when I want it. From now on I'll try to stop being so pissy with you, alright? I do appreciate what you're doing for me, you know," Gladion admitted, looking away from Hau and staring instead into his empty cup. Hau nodded and smiled again, relieved he hadn't upset the older boy more. He stood up again, approaching Gladion carefully as he tried to look into his cup for himself.

"You done? I can take that for you." Gladion looked at Hau, and reached out his hands to hand the boy his cup. Hau took it, but he accidentally grazed one of the fingers on Gladion's left hand, causing Gladion to immediately release the cup and bury his hand under the blanket. He huffed and scowled his usual scowl as he tore away from Hau's eyes. This didn't go un-noticed, but Hau chose to keep quiet, and turned towards the kitchen to dispose of the empty cup.

They both sighed once they were out of each other's earshots and while neither knew it, they shared in the same sentiment aloud as they whispered to themselves.

_"If only you knew how frustrating this_ _**really**_ _is..."_

\---

Lillie sat quietly in the empty room as she internally walked herself through her plan. The hard parts had been taken care of. From here on out, it should be a cake-walk on her path to become stronger. Sure, battling and becoming strong enough to defeat her mother was a long path to walk. But she was confident these ruffians could get her where she needed to go. Guzma's pity for her didn't go un-noticed, nor unappreciated. She had always believed deep down he was probably a kind-hearted man somwhere.

She could respect his resolve. She waited a few more moments, before unzipping the bag that lay beside her and whispering gently into it. "Alright Nebula...it's safe to come out now." Slowly, a cloudy and smog-like pokémon emerged from the opening and bounced onto the floor. It glittered with all sorts of blues and violets and purples up and down it's body, two arm-like clouds jutting from the peak of it's head on either side. It's yellow beady eyes stared up at her, as it frowned sadly.

She pet it's head, gauging a smile on it's face as it chirped gleefully, "Peeewwww~!" She couldn't help but smile. It was a precious creature, but a weak and fragile one. One she swore she would guard with her life, if necessary. She took her hand off the creature and stared playfully at it. The pokémon observed her up and down curiously, seeming to almost not recognize her in her new attire. Eventually, however, it nuzzled against her cheek when it got a good look at her eyes. Lillie giggled in response to the gesture.

However, the enjoyment was short-lived when the pokémon suddenly cried out in pain and sunk to the floor. She gasped, scooping it up into her arms to check it for wounds. But there were none. She was completely confused by this. What was ailing it so much that it could barely move like this? "What's wrong? You don't _look_ damaged..." she whispered, gently. The pokémon stared up at her sadly, uttering a weak "Pew..." in response to her question. Lillie mentally backtracked, trying to think of any point it could've been injured.

Suddenly, it came back to her.

The only sounds she remembered were sirens and her own heavy breathing. After a while of running the angry and terrifying yells of the Aether employees trying to corner her had been replaced with ringing in her ears. She didn't _mean_ to stop at the garden paradise floor...but it seemed the entrance to the docks was now locked. She was trapped. She was backed into a corner with no way out and she knew it. The only thing she feared more than her failure was her mother's wrath.

Then, there was a light. She noticed it was coming from her bag. The bag where she had carefully stuffed and hidden the pokémon she had just stolen in. The light consumed her sight and everything beyond that was a complete blur up to her awakening in Po Town. As Plumeria had said before, she was unconscious on the beach just up the street from Po Town when she was found by them. Lillie wracked her brain hard until finally she had filled in the blank.

"Did you...teleport us here, Nebby?" It was still very weak and was still struggling to move, but she noticed when it nodded in confirmation to her question. "Oh Nebula...you poor thing. You must be _exhausted_! Just stay in the bag and rest for now. And remember...don't make any noise. If anyone finds you now it's all over." Nebby simply closed it's eyes in obedience, and Lille gently placed the tired pokémon back into her bag to sleep off it's exertion. She stared into the bag for a moment, before pulling out her Cleffa's ball.

She tossed it into the air, calling it out before catching the ball back in her hand once more. The Cleffa looked around in confusion once again, eventually turning around to see it's new master staring sadly at it. It, just like Nebby, struggled at first glance to recognize her. Lillie simply smiled sadly, unable to stop the tears from reaching up through her glazed eyes as she sniffled, "H-Hey Cleffa. It's me, Lillie. Remember? You and Lillipup used to play together..."

The tiny creature's eyes widened in recognition, and hobbled up to her, though still frowning and seeming concerned for her. It had never seen her upset before. While it was still confused as to where it's real master was, it still cared a great deal for Lillie and tried it's best to console her. Lillie wiped her tears away and offered a smile. "S-Sorry, sweetie. It's just...th-things have changed quite a bit as you can see. I hate that I have to tell you this...but Gladion is _gone_."

Lillie could see tears forming at the Cleffa's eyes. It understood full well what she meant. "I know you must be mad...or just upset in general that he left you behind. But you don't have to worry. I'll take good care of you. And you won't be alone, either. Lillipup is here too," she explained, pulling out the other pokéball from her bag and calling forth her Lillipup. The small pup immediately jumped to nuzzle Cleffa in comfort as it whimpered sympathetically. Lillie hesitated, then continued.

"We're with some very nice people now. They're going to help us get stronger. And if you'll join me...we can finally put a stop to my mother. Do you remember? How upset you were when she hurt Gladion? If you join me, and get stronger alongside me, we can make her stop doing things like that." She pulled the dufflebag closer, and forced it open to allow the two to get a good look inside at Nebby who snoozed with a pained look on it's face. The two pokémon felt remorse and anger just seeing it's condition.

"This is what mother does...this is why we have to work together now. I know you loved Gladion...and it'll be hard for you to get over him. But can you trust me?" she looked to Cleffa for an answer patiently. The Cleffa stared back, and it was quiet for a moment or so before it glared fiercely, and nodded in acceptance. Lillie smiled, and scooped up the two pokémon in a hug. "I'm so glad...I'll take very good care of you two! I promise." Lillipup barked in excitement, and Cleffa silently stared at the dufflebag.

It felt many things that day. Anger. Remorse. Guilt. Regret. But none were more powerful than it's feeling of betrayal. It had _always_ been there for Gladion, even at the most painful moments of his life. It recalled the day Gladion had his hand broken. It was worried sick and cried all night until it was finally allowed to see him the next morning after he was given treatment. The boy seemed so happy to see Cleffa...to know it was worried about him. At first it wondered what had changed. Why he had left.

But now it's resolve had hardened like Lillie's long had. It didn't matter. It belonged to Lillie now. And it's only mission was to please her to her heart's content and aid in her endeavors. It would not fail. It had to be _strong_.

\---

"Oh, Moon! Welcome home sweetie!" Moon's mother greeted cheerfully as the girl stepped inside the door. She let out a sigh of exhaustion as she took off her hat and plopped into one of the dining table chairs. She was right in her earlier assumption. It was a strenuously long day. Her mother noticed this and sat in a chair across from her daughter as she raised a curious brow at her. Moon didn't bother waiting for her mother to ask what was wrong before answering preemptively.

"You would not _believe_ what happened to me today," she declared with half-baked confidence. Her mother smiled and rested her cheek on her hand eagerly as she leaned in to hear Moon loud and clear, "Try me~!" Moon took a deep breath in preparation before she continued. "Well...First off, Kukui installed a new 'software' into my pokédex to help me," she began, her voice already spiked with clear annoyance. At first her mother raised a brow again in curiosity, then the aforementioned pokédex sprung out at it's cue.

"GREETINGS!"

Moon's mother shrieked in surprise and hid halfway under the table at first, but slowly rose to sit up as she observed it. Not a few hours ago she had seen this thing. It was lifeless, it was just a piece of technology. But now here it was, floating and bobbing about with strange limbs jutting out of it she hadn't noticed before. And it's face resembled that of a certain mischievous pokémon she was all-too-familiar with. As a child, she recalled Rotoms being somewhat of a house pest for her parents.

They were normally the cause of black-outs and stray appliances going crazy and causing all sorts of commotion. When the pokémon had first surfaced in the region of Sinnoh, it nearly caused a widespread panic. However, over time, research has been conducted on it and nowadays it was just strongly advised by the general public to spray your appliances with pokémon repellents to avoid any un-wanted havoc. Which of course, she did.

"Oh...sorry ma'am. I did not mean to sta-a-artle you," it apologized, sincerely. She eased up a bit and her previous fear had turned into eager curiosity once again as she examined the strange creature. "Is...that a _Rotom_ in there?" The red creature nodded and grinned, "That is correct, zzt! The professor has ma-a-ade a state-of-the-art pokédex for me to possess and communicate through! Zzt!" It glitched as it spoke, which told both the girls that it still had some bugs that needed ironing out.

"He wants me to work with it and have it report back to him on a regular basis. Don't worry, it's not like _most_ Rotoms. He'll behave himself and stay in that pokédex body," she assured her mother. Rotom nodded to confirm this, "Yu-u-up! I'm- Zzt! -perfectly cozy in this body! No mischief here!" Moon's mother smiled in satisfaction and turned her attention back to her daughter. "So then...what _else_ has my little pokémon master been up to today?"

"Well after that, Popplio and I went out to train a bit. And I found this _really_ cool Meowth! You wouldn't believe it mom, they look _totally_ different here! Check it out!" Eagerly, Moon pulled a pokéball from her bag and summoned the pokémon in question. Her mother's eyes nearly popped out of her head at the sight of it. Her daughter was right, they looked incredibly different from Kantonian Meowths. It's fur was an elegant and soft indigo that blended into a pale white on it's feet and tail.

It's whiskers curled and it's eyes held a prim and prose manner about them as it looked up at her. It held it's paws out daintily, as if posing for a camera. Her mother's Meowth approached it and quietly greeted it as it sniffed and mewed at it. Rotom beeped, and gestured to his screen, "Meowth! The cat-scratch pokémon! This pokémon was not originally found in Alola. Human actions caused a surge in their numbers, and they went feral. They’re very prideful and crafty."

"Well isn't that just something? It's so cute! And it looks so much fancier than the ones back home. I wonder what it's evolution looks like here," her mother wondered aloud. Moon turned to look at her again as she continued, "That's not even the _craziest_ part!" Her mother once again drew her attention back to her daughter, still curious to hear more. "So, after that, I went up to Iki Town to see the Kahuna. You know, the one I told you about yesterday? I wanted to ask him where to find the first gym."

"Oh right, you've been really excited about that. Well what happened?"

"Well...I got a little side-tracked. As soon as I got up to his house, this kid came out his front door and he looked scared spitless! He had that Litten and Rowlet I told you about from yesterday, and I was going to ask him where the Kahuna was but he looked like he needed help."

"Oh my! I hope it wasn't anything serious! What happened?"

"He told me he lost his friend and that he was seriously hurt. He also said he had to find him before his grandpa got home. I offered to help him out and his Rowlet lead us up this path I noticed before. When we got to the top there was this bridge and sure enough, there was some kid riding on the back of this biiiiiig pokémon on the other side of it."

"Was he alright?"

"Well...he _was_. But Rotom warned them about some Spearow that were headed right for them and his pokémon panicked. That bridge was _super_ unstable, so when it jumped forward to get away from them, the bridge broke and they fell!"

Her mother gasped, "Oh no! A-Are they alright?!"

Moon nodded, "Yeah. Popplio managed to save them by using bubble to keep them from hitting the bottom. I still don't know what was the deal with those two, but I made sure that kid and is pokémon were ok. I was about to leave when suddenly, and, get this...the island deity, _Tapu Koko_ appeared!"

"You're kidding! That pokémon we read about in the brochure? I thought that was just an urban legend!"

"Yeah, me too. But it dropped this weird shiny stone. When I took it to the professor, he said it was a special stone that only the island deities could make. They apparently only give them to trainers they _really_ like and think are worthy of it's power. He said he'd take it to Hala and they'd give it back to me tomorrow. But man, was I surprised!"

Her mother sat back in her chair, almost feeling the full brunt of exhaustion her daughter did just from _hearing_ about all this second-hand. It sure sounded like a full day, but she couldn't have been more proud of her daughter. She couldn't help but smile with joy. "Well...that certainly is something. I'd say you've earned yourself a nice dinner and a nap. The both of you." Moon slumped down and rested her head on her arms on the table.

"You know what...? I think I like the sound of that."


	7. Chapter 6 - What I Can Learn From You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Lillie begins her training with Guzma, Gladion and Hau make an amazing discovery.

_"What the hell does the boss see in her?"_

_"She's so puny, look at her!"_

_"Ew, we're inviting goths into our group now?"_

_"Her pokémon are so cute too, it's gross."_

Lillie took a deep breath as she walked along the paint covered streets of Po Town. For whatever reason, Guzma had asked her to meet him in the mansion pool. Yes, not _at_ it... _in_ it. A strange request she thought at first he may have mistaken, but she remembered what a fellow grunt had told her before not too long ago.

_"The boss says what he means, and he don't repeat himself."_

Regardless, she was left dreadfully confused about what exactly they could be doing in a pool. She didn't have any swimwear with her. She continued, still ignoring the rude whispers of the grunts as she made her way to the pool area. However, when she arrived, she was surprised to find it was completely drained and empty. A makeshift ladder was sticking out of it, leaning precariously on the wall. Hesitantly, she climbed down into the pit and looked around. She didn't see Guzma anywhere, so she concluded he was late. Or perhaps _she_ was _early_.

It didn't take long for someone to arrive however, as a loud crash shook the ground beneath her briefly. She turned around, and saw the Golisopod she remembered being in Guzma's room staring right at her. She took a step back, smiling sheepishly as she held a hand up in peaceful offering. "H...Hello there. You're a... _big_ boy, aren't you?" she commented, nervously. A bellowing chuckle sounded from above her, and she turned around again to see Guzma standing over her at the edge of the wall.

"Big is an under-statement! But you know, he wasn't _always_ this high and mighty..." Guzma corrected. Lillie could hardly believe that at all. Though, she supposed most pokémon started out small. After all, almost every region had three in particular that evolve from something cute you could hold in your arms to some of the massive and powerful beasts on the planet. She stepped back, keeping her gaze trained on him as he climbed down into the pit beside her. She took the opportunity to prod, "Th-That's incredible! It's almost really hard to believe..."

Guzma gently poked the girl's forehead, smirking smugly at her. He had her attention, "Every big baddie starts out as a small, whimpering little krill fish. Hard work and plenty of endurance is how ya get somethin' real scary and powerful. The whimpier the krill, the stronger their will. So you're in luck, you've got a lot of determination in there." Lillie stared in awe as he took his finger off her face. He was even better than she had ever imagined him being. She didn't know why, but something about his kindness reminded her of...

"So, I'm sure yer wonderin' why I called you down here today, of all places. This ain't exactly the most normal meetin' place," he continued, interrupting her thoughts and drawing her attention back to her surroundings. She nodded. "Well it's very simple, princess. If you're gonna be in the Skull Gang, you gotta learn how to fight. And I can tell you ain't ever been in a battle before." Lillie pouted and blushed indignantly, tapping her fingers together impatiently. She refused to admit he was right, but her face said it all.

He couldn't help but chuckle at her adorable expression. "Another point for Guzma. Well, since that's the case, yer gonna need some training. Normally I'd have Plumeria do this, but she's doin' her rounds. And besides...there's no better place for you to learn than the top dog," he explained, making his way over to his Golisopod. Lillie pulled a pokéball out of her bag, and she began to sweat a bit. Hesitantly, she spoke up, "Err...i-is it really ok to start with something so...big? They're very weak, s-so...it wouldn't be much of a fight."

Guzma raised a brow at her, but he quickly eased her worries when he pulled out a pokéball of his own from one of his pockets, "No need to worry, I ain't gonna kick ya in the gut. Poundin' on ya this soon ain't gonna do shit to help ya." Lillie's tense mannerisms eased as he summoned forth a cute looking bug-like creature, with strange features that Lillie could only guess were for defense in the wild. "I've never seen _that_ pokémon before...what's it called?" Guzma smirked. It was time to pull her in. 

"Tell ya what...you win this, and I'll tell ya _alllll_ about it, princess."

"Deal!"

\---

Only a few days had passed, and Gladion and Hau both had successfully fooled their way out of Hala's lecture. But things were progressing slowly and Gladion couldn't stand it. In the end, he couldn't come up with a good enough lie to explain where he found his crystal, and kept it to himself. Perhaps when he actually was able to leave the house he could come with something viable. Regardless, most of each day was spent being waited on by Hau. He kept his promise, and he wasn't as snarky or rude whenever Hau came around to give him company.

But it was clear to both of them he didn't enjoy being pestered all day as salt in the already incredibly painful wound of not being able to go anywhere. Null moved about the home, but it was careful to not go near any windows. Often times it played with the small pokémon that hopped around the house throughout the day. As each day passed, the Litten in particular seemed itchy to go outside. Gladion had noticed Hau often trying to calm it down and reminding it constantly they'd be able to train soon. And every time, he felt a little bit more guilty for forcing Hau to stay inside with him. But of course, it's not like he preferred this himself, either.

Today again, he was laying on the couch, reading a book to pass the time. Null was entertaining the Litten who laid on it's back, swatting desperately at it's claws that dangled tediously above it. Gladion couldn't help but smile whenever he saw Null getting along with Hau's pokémon. It often made him think that perhaps it was best to stay rather than leave. He knew it'd certainly be a sad farewell for them if they ended up taking a ferry out of Alola after all. But he justified it. Null came first, no one else.

"Mrow! Rrrr...Row!" Litten chirped, Null seeming amused by it's determination to catch it's claws. Hau came in from the kitchen again, putting down yet another tray for Gladion on the coffee table. Gladion sat up, once again starting with the tea. He hadn't had a headache for a long time now, but for some reason he didn't tell Hau. He came to like his tea quite a bit. Of course, he would never admit this. Hau sat on the floor near Null and Litten, watching with a pleased look on his face as they played. Gladion was still surprised by how little it took to make Hau happy.

"I'm glad Null is getting along well with them..." Gladion commented, half unconscious he was saying aloud rather than in his head. Hau was surprised by this, and turned to look at Gladion. "Really? How come?" he asked. Gladion swallowed hard at the question. He didn't just let that slip out did he? "Er...w-well...I've been worried about Null's mental state since...we left our home. He's been through a lot...maybe even more than me. So I was worried at first he might not be very friendly with any pokémon. I knew _humans_ would be an obstacle, but..."

Hau looked away, frowning again in pity for the two. A habit he seemed to develop the past few days. "I know you said you can't tell me. But, is he like you? You know...scared?" Gladion nodded, "Yeah. He is. That's why I have to keep him safe now, for both of us." Litten huffed, and seemed to finally give up as it rolled over and stared up at Null, it's tail swaying about. The two stared at each other for a long time, Gladion and Hau both observing with much anticipation. Eventually, Litten sat up and licked it's paw, ignoring Null completely.

Hau pouted, "Don't be so rude, Litten. It's not _his_ fault you're bad at catching things." Gladion smiled but stopped himself from chuckling. He didn't want to give Hau a reason to outburst, after all, his headaches could still come back at any moment. His smile wilted back into a frown after a moment as he continued to eat. Litten stood up, jumping up onto the couch beside Gladion and curling up into a ball to sleep. He hesitated, before gently petting the Litten as it's purrs faded into soft snores. Hau stood up, picking up the tray from the coffee table.

"I think Litten really likes _you_ , too," he snickered, causing Gladion to pout at him with a faint blush on his face. He'd seen this look a few times the last couple days, it was Gladion's silent way of saying Hau was pushing his buttons too much. Regardless, Hau couldn't help but try his hardest to get that rise out of him. Something about Gladion's embarrassment was just too amusing to pass up at every turn. Gladion huffed as he put his now empty plate onto the tray for Hau. Hau turned, and began to make his way for the kitchen when a certain chimera stood in his path and startled him.

"AH!" Hau cried, tripping as he stepped back to avoid running into Null. When did he get up and move over there? Had he been _that_ distracted by Gladion? Gladion gasped, and darted forward off the couch to catch Hau before he hit the floor. Hau blinked for a moment, trying to register what had just happened. He had stopped. But there was only one person who could've caught him. Slowly, Gladion helped Hau stand back on his feet. "Hau, are you alright?! You're not hurt, are you?" Hau didn't answer for a moment. He stood completely still. Gladion was worried he was in temporary shock. But then Hau slowly turned his head to look at Gladion. His eyes were wide and he seemed in disbelief.

"I...Is something wrong?" Gladion asked, worriedly. Hau turned to face him, stepping back as he stared in awe at Gladion. Was there something on his face? "Gladion...! You're _standing_!" Gladion looked down and noticed Hau's words were true. Not only that, he didn't feel any struggle in his feet or legs. He finally had his complete strength back. "You're...you're right. I can stand! I don't have to lay in bed anymore!" he smiled, and Hau grinned back eagerly as his eyes sparkled like stars with joy. Null pushed past Hau, nuzzling Gladion to congratulate him.

He couldn't help it, he let out a laugh as he pet Null. "Look at that, Null. You don't have to fuss over me anymore!" Gladion reassured his pokémon, earning him a pleased, low growl. Hau was relishing in their celebration quietly, and Gladion didn't notice him staring for quite a while until he finally looked up at him. "S-Sorry abou-" he stopped when he noticed the huge grin Hau was wearing. His smile and laughter faded into another embarrassed face that Hau also enjoyed. But he groaned nonetheless.

"Aww, man! That was so cool! I haven't seen you _that_ happy since I first took you to see your pokémon," Hau whined. Gladion pouted, hesitantly repeating himself, "I-I was just...going to say sorry, about Null. He's pretty antsy during the day it looks like. You're fine, right?" Hau nodded, turning away towards his route to the kitchen once again as he offered Gladion a friendly smile. "Y-Yeah. Don't worry, it's ok. Tutu will be glad to hear you're on your feet! I'll be right back, you wait here," he said, fleeing into the kitchen once more.

Gladion gave Null a sour look as soon as Hau disappeared behind the door, pouting something fierce. "You're not off the hook, you know. You gotta learn to sit still." Null gave him an unamused look, and Gladion knew exactly what it was trying to get across. He huffed and crossed his arms indignantly, "Yeah, I know. _Real_ rich coming from _me_. But I'm serious. You could've hurt him." Null tilted it's head curiously at him, seeming confused at Gladion's worry. Gladion's eyes widened a bit, and he looked down as he contemplated the why as well.

"...W-Well...he is helping us. We shouldn't go out of our way to make trouble. He's a nice kid, don't put him in harm's way," Gladion chided, seeming unsure of this explanation himself. Null accepted it however, and plopped back down on the floor with a rowdy huff. Gladion simply sighed. At the very least, he could take advantage of his newfound strength. The cons were lessened by the pros. For now, he could finally calm down knowing if nothing else, his legs could take him away from any danger.

\---

Lillie heaved heavily, sweat beading down her temple as she called back her Lillipup. Even at his weakest, Guzma had utterly destroyed her in battle. She came close a couple times, and she almost had him on the ropes, but ultimately she couldn't beat him. She groaned in defeat, "Oh man...! I have no _idea_ what I'm doing." Guzma walked up to her, his Golisopod following close behind. "Don't be too hard on yourself now. You've got a long way to go, but you ain't garbage," he muttered, shaking his head. Lillie groaned in embarrassment, trying not to let the defeat's impact show on her face. She failed.

"I'm serious, you weren't the _worst_ newbie I've ever faced. It's clear from how hasty your style is. You've got a lot of spunk. You just gotta channel it properly." Lillie looked up at him, and nodded. She was a little bummed she wouldn't be able to learn about the pokémon he had used during their battle, and it showed as she looked down, dejected. Guzma didn't normally reward failure, but he couldn't help but feel pity for her. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, and spoke up again, "Look, it's the effort that counts. So I'll be merciful today. I'll tell ya whatever you wanna know about my Masquerain."

Lillie's eyes widened as she turned her gaze up at Guzma once again, "Masquerain? Is that it's name?" Guzma nodded, "Yeah. It's a bug type. All my pokémon are. I used to love scarin' the girls in my class with creepy crawlies." He chuckled before he continued, "Guess I kinda like how un-natural and gross they look." Lillie shuddered, she too had never quite felt comfortable around bug pokémon. Most people had some type of phobia towards the poor things. Though she didn't quite feel that way with Guzma's pokémon at all. In fact...she thought they were _cute_.

"Where's it from? I've never seen anything like it before," Lillie repeated.

"I think it's from uhhh...Hoenn. It's got four sets of wings and it uses eyespots to intimidate predators in the wild. It looks dainty and frail at first glance but it's real deceptive like that."

"That's so cool! And...your Golisopod. You said it wasn't _always_ this big. What did it _use_ to look like?"

"It's a real long story, princess. One that's not for today, I'm afraid."

"...Can...I touch it?"

Guzma raised a brow at her for the question. Most of his grunts, especially the girls were always creeped out by his Golisopod. In fact, most of them were outright terrified of the thing. It often just did whatever it wanted, and sometimes it even broke the already unstable structures of the houses in it's enthusiasm. It lacked discipline since Guzma found it's energy to be invaluable and therefore often praised it's antics. And this girl certain had a lot to learn about asserting herself, or just generally having the bravery to approach people with power over her. Perhaps his friendly mannerism had eased her mind a bit.

"Well...I _guess_ so? Just don't piss 'im off," he warned, sternly. Lillie swallowed, and hesitantly reached out her hand until finally her fingers brushed against the pokémon's rough skin. It chirped gleefully and seemed to enjoy the gesture, prompting her to pet it's head further. Eventually, she took her hand off the creature's face and pulled a pokébean out of her bag. She turned to Guzma again for approval, "May I?" Guzma nodded, simply staring curiously as she indulged his Golisopod. It chirped happily as Lillie tossed the bean into the air for it to catch.

She giggled as it sloppily devoured the bean in just two bites. She turned her attention back to Guzma, snapping him out of his trance and causing his eyes to widen in surprise. "Thank you, mister- ...B...Boss. I know I still have a lot to learn before I'm ready to go outside and fight with the Skull Gang. B-But I promise I'll work as hard as I can so you don't have to wait for me, ok?" Gumza smirked, and pat her head again, "Don't sweat it, princess. You're doing really good. The fact that you didn't give up during our battle shows you've got guts."

"R-Really?! I have _guts_? Your training must be working, boss! Thank you so much!"

"Don't thank me yet. Go on and try your pokémon out on some of the small fry. I'm sure you've been _itchin'_ to make them shut up..."

"Ah...! Boss-"

"Don't mind them. They're just jealous. Go give 'em hell for me, eh?"

Lillie smiled, and hurried up the latter, leaving Guzma behind. He chuckled, "Kids...they never change do they, Golisopod?" The pokémon chirped again, and he pat it's head. His brows raised when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, and he fished it out hastily. His face turned grim when he saw the contact on the screen. " _Lusamine_..." he grunted. Hesitantly, he flipped it open and pressed the accept button before putting it up to his ear to hear her. For the first time since meeting her, he actually didn't want to talk to her.

"Guzma here, what's yer business?" he answered, rudely. Lusamine's insane yet honey-like voice melted into his ear through the speakers, "Hello again, Guzma. Pardon the interruption. But there's a certain couple of someones I need you to find for me." Her voice had noticeably gotten low and agitated at that last sentence. He couldn't remember the last time he felt nervous, and he didn't like where this was going at all. He remembered the countless times Plumeria kept saying she had a bad feeling about this woman...and he was starting to think she was right. Hesitantly, he bit, "Oh yeah? And who would _that_ be?"

"...Do you perhaps remember the names Gladion and... _Lillie_ ~?"


	8. Chapter 7 - Be My Shield

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hau and Gladion start their tour of Hau'oli City as Guzma contemplates his decision.

It was a long wait for the boys that day, longer than usual. For the first time, Gladion could finally share with someone his frustration with waiting. Hau seemed more than excited that he could finally move about the house, but Gladion had long convinced him to calm down. Of course, that didn't mean he got him to stop grinning so annoyingly. In order to keep their minds off of the clock, they decided to take the time playing with the pokémon and exchanging small banter. Of course, after three hours, they both knew banter wasn't good enough.

Hesitantly, Gladion tried to make conversation, "So, you're...a pokémon trainer." Hau seemed surprised that Gladion was finally talking to him like this, but he didn't hesitate to indulge him. "Yeah, that's right. I just started. Now that you're on your feet I should be able to train Litten a little bit," Hau smiled, his eagerness to answer not un-noticed by the blonde. "I've never really battled with pokémon before. I always just used to play with them," Gladion admitted, seeming embarrassed as he scratched his cheek.

"Well...what about your Null?"

"Huh?"

"He's pretty big. I can't imagine he's a very common _house_ pokémon."

"Yeah...you could say that. I'm sorry I can't tell you all that much, you probably feel envious," Gladion smiled slightly, hardly able to swallow his chuckles.

"Maaayyybe a little bit...but I think I prefer him in your hands. He seems to make you really happy. And it's obvious he cares about you the same way you care about him."

"How can you tell?"

"Well, I'm sure you already guessed this, but he didn't sleep for almost the whole two days you were out cold! He passed out, but it probably wasn't of his own volition."

Gladion pouted at his pokémon as he blushed faintly, " _Nuuulll_! I rescued you so stuff like that can't happen to you! Don't exert yourself like that!" Null simply huffed and nuzzled it's companion's cheek comfortingly. The conversation had drawn a thought that had long been left forgotten to the front of Hau's mind, "Hey. Your...Null. I mean if you're planning on walking around outside, I'm sure you wouldn't really feel at ease leaving it in here by itself. You're gonna need to capture it so you can take it outside with you."

Gladion's eyes widened and the idea seemed to shake him, "Wh-What? I can't do that! He's been-" He stopped himself. There was no way for him to be secretive about explaining his reasons to this kid. As hard as he wanted to find a way, he couldn't think of one. "Oh...a-are you one of those people who thinks pokéballs are like...imprisonment or something?" Hau guessed, seeming ashamed at the idea he may have offended Gladion. The blonde raised his brows, and decided to steal this explanation for himself.

"Uh...y-yeah. I was um...too embarrassed to say it," he lied. Hau pouted, but he didn't speak. At first Gladion thought he may have been annoyed, but when he looked into his eyes he saw gears turning in his head. Was he...trying to think of some way to convince him? He could practically see steam pour of his ears as he began to make a low keening noise of contemplation. He was about to say something to prevent Hau from straining himself, but he was cut off when Hau cried out enthusiastically.

"Oh! I know! I can bring you some pokéballs to look at and tell you what they do! Or if you like I can just show you how catching one works. I've been hoping to catch a Pichu...so maybe if tutu let's us go outside today we can go look for one!" Hau explained, eagerly. Gladion gave him a sheepish look and gulped, "You really don't have to do that." Hau grinned, "Sure I do! Remember, I said I'd help you. That means I'm gonna help you get through whatever problems it is you're having! Even if you can't tell me some of 'em."

Gladion had no chance to retort as their conversation was interrupted once again by the sound of the front door creaking open. The boys stood up, as did the pokémon, two of which rushed to the door to greet the old man who entered their abode. Hau wasted no time, and darted right up to his grandfather eagerly, hopping up and down with joy, "Tutu! You won't believe it! Gladion can _walk_!" Hala raised his brows and it almost seemed like his eyes would burst open for a change he was so surprised.

"Really? Well lemme see the young lad, where is he?" Gladion caught up to Hau, placing a hand on his hip as he pouted as Hau's energetic demeanor. "Right here, sir. If you don't mind...can we get to the point?" Hala pushed past Hau gently, examining Gladion carefully, much to the blonde's silent agitation. "Hmm...yes, you _seem_ to be in good condition. How far can you walk?" he asked. "I've been able to move about the house just fine the past three hours, if that answers your question."

Hala scratched at his chin again in thought for a few minutes, before finally giving his answer, "Alright...you may go outside as you wish. But remember, you can't leave without Hau or myself to accompany you." Gladion couldn't help but groan, but Hau grinned in satisfaction. Gladion didn't like thinking about all the ideas he probably had swirling in that head of his. Hala turned his attention back to his grandson, "That being said...you have to be _very_ careful, Hau. This is serious. If you see any Aether Foundation employees, avoid them."

"Aether Foundation? Well, I can do that. But how come? Is something going on?"

"They're just uhhh...doing something important. Best to stay out of their way."

"Ohhh, I get it. Alright! Sure thing, tutu!"

Hala raised a brow at the large chimera creature that stood behind Gladion defensively. He hadn't had a lot of time with the creature, but he knew it was more than willing to obey him as thanks for his help. Once again he turned back to the boys as he continued, "Well, until you find a proper pokéball for this one, I'll stay here and keep watch. I've got some time on my hands so I'll be around the house until you get back." Gladion nodded, still anxious about leaving Null out of his sight but knowing he could trust Hala.

Unable to wait a second longer, Hau grabbed Gladion's right hand and began tugging him towards the door as he pointed, "C'mon! I wanna show you around!" Gladion became flustered but didn't pull off from the contact. He simply rambled at Hau to slow down as he was helplessly dragged out the door against his will. Hala chuckled and waved them off, only turning back to Null when the door had slammed shut behind the two. Null simply stared at the old man, visibly anxious in a similar way he had been the first time it and it's companion had been separated.

"So...what's _your_ story, little fella?"

\---

_"...Do you perhaps remember the names Gladion and..._ _**Lillie** _ _~?"_

_"...Vaguely."_

_"You see, dear Guzma...I'm afraid they've stolen something_ _**very**_ _valuable from me. Two beasts we need for our plans. My Beast Killer I need to capture my precious beasts and our means of getting there in the first place."_

_"Lusa-"_

_"_ _**Madam President** _ _."_

_"...Madam President. No offense, but this sounds like a_ _**family**_ _issue. Can't ya just take care of this yerself? We're still not even ready to go in anyways, right?"_

 _"Ohoho~! Foolish Guzma. Perhaps once they were my family...but no longer. I would have never raised such ungrateful, disgusting,_ _**ugly**_ _little creatures that dare run away from me and_ _**reject**_ _me! They're blind, Guzma...they don't see what we see. The world is all sunshine and rainbows to them. But people like you and me know far better. And we have the power to put foolish maggots like that in their place."_

_"..."_

_"Hmm, well, if it's_ _**that**_ _much trouble. For now, I want you to find that boy."_

_"Sooo...what? You want me to bring 'im to ya or somethin'? I ain't really interested in kidnappin' kids."_

_"Oh no no no. I simply want that Beast Killer. You can just rough him up as much as you'd like._ _**Kill**_ _him if you so wish. It's all the same to me. Just don't lay too many scratches on my Beast Killer. We need it to round up those precious beasts."_

_"...Yeah...sure."_

_"I_ _**knew**_ _you'd come through for me, Guzma~. Au revoir, darling."_

The conversation was all that ran through Guzma's head as he laid on his bed tiredly. Nanu wouldn't like this one bit. He was the only Kahuna Guzma still had any respect for, but that wasn't saying a whole lot. And even he knew Nanu only paid rent to them to keep a careful eye on them. Make sure they didn't step outside the boundaries of human decency and all that. As much as Guzma liked to pound on the weak, something about beating on this particular kid just left a bad taste in his mouth.

It was clear from how Lillie spoke she held no favor with her brother any longer. So at the very least he knew she wouldn't mind him going after him, in fact, she'd probably be eager to bite his face off herself. He couldn't imagine how much fury she was hiding under that polite mask. And once he had trained her to be a true force to be reckoned with, that fury was sure to rise to the surface and show it's ugly head. He would have to find this boy eventually, have to give Lusamine the results she was _desperate_ for.

Yes, desperate. She was definitely desperate. He didn't know much, but desperate was a perfect way to describe her at this point. Sort of like he used to be in his early youth. Nowadays, however, he was less desperate and more capable of getting what he wanted. His partnership with her was proof. Life just kept on dropping everything he needed right into his lap. As for Lusamine, it seemed her wish kept getting ripped right from under just as she was about to touch it. A very small part of him still held some pity for her for this.

A _small_ part.

He sat up, prompting the attention of his Golisopod that was sitting on the floor eating out of yet another pile of pokébeans. He groaned, and his companion could tell a lot was troubling him. "Why did this shit have to get so complicated all of the sudden? There ain't nothin' wrong with what we're doin', right? It's nothin' personal for us..." he muttered, seeming unsure of his own justification of all this. Golisopod just tilted it's head at it's master curiously. Usually, doing dirty work didn't bother him so much.

It troubled the creature to see it's master struggle so helplessly. It was a state he hadn't seen him in for years. It remembered well when it first met Guzma. He wasn't nearly as powerful nor as intimidating as he was now. He was frustrated and rambunctious kid. He often swung his fists in whatever direction he pleased just so long as he'd hit something. Something about his anger with his inability to be feared rather than fearful had drawn the creature to him as a young Wimipod. At first Guzma was rather annoyed with the weak and pathetic creature.

Often times he would even it throw it yards away just to get rid of it. But somehow, it always found a way back to the boy. Eventually, Guzma had given up trying to get the creature away from him altogether. Of course, he wasn't without his complaints. It also remembered the first and last time it had ever seen Guzma at his weakest. Not even Plumeria could take claim to being that close. A mental trophy that the Golisopod cherished to this very day. And yet now, looking at it's master, it had a bad case of déjà vu.

"Aw geez, I'm talkin' to myself here, aren't I? You don't even know what I'm ramblin' about, do ya?" Guzma asked after a long silence. Golisopod chirped quietly, saddened that it couldn't quite understand his torment. Guzma rubbed the back of his head and sighed tiredly. He couldn't blame his companion much. It wasn't very capable of understanding the complicated end of their business. He knew it understood a few things. It understood they were the bad guys no matter how you cut it, it understood the grunts and Plumeria were just like them.

And most importantly, it understood the business rod part of the job. Sometimes you just had to pummel people into place to get your way. They were both more than ok with this formula of business. So what was the difference now? Guzma stood up off his bed with a grunt, making his way over to his pokémon and petting it gently to reassure it. "I know you ain't really into all the complicated stuff. But do ya remember how I used to toss yer ass for miles just for followin' me around?" he asked.

The Golisopod nodded eagerly, and Guzma continued, "Well...imagine if I stomped on ya instead, after you were already beaten for that matter. Kickin' around smallfries ain't no biggie, but this kid...if what princess said is true, I don't like it." This was true. Guzma never really had a problem with battling and beating down kids. But even he had mercy. No child deserved to be tortured or buried in the ground. That was the whole reason he created the Skull Gang in the first place. He knew there were probably tons of kids across Alola that were like him.

Cast off by their folks or even their own friends. People they had _trusted_. Lillie and Gladion were no different than he was when you got right down to it. Even so...business was business. And besides, it wasn't like he had to take the kid home to her. She had said herself she didn't even consider him her son anymore anyways. All she was interested in was the pokémon that were stolen... _right_? The kid could probably live without it. At least for now, he didn't have to confront Lillie about this. Lusamine had been merciful enough to give him that relief.

Suddenly, the door burst open, interrupting him and his companion's swirling thoughts. He looked up to find a grunt who seemed exasperated standing in the now open doorway. He gave the kid a scowl and crossed his arms, "This had better be good you lil brat! I told y'all not to open that door without knockin' first!" The grunt waved his arms around as he rambled, "B-Boss! That new kid! She's so mean! She just keeps on beatin' all of us! Ya gotta do somethin'!" Guzma's mood was suddenly lifted as he smirked and then laughed.

"Man, you mooks are _pathetic_! You guys better learn to catch up with our princess before you go out there in the field if she got ya _that_ easily!"

"W-What?!"

"I figured you brainlets needed some freshenin' up. Why do you think I told her to go kick yer asses? Now go back out there and don't come back unless you've beaten 'er! _Scram_!"

The grunt turned tail and ran nervously, slamming the door shut behind him for fear Guzma may follow and yell even more. He couldn't help but chuckle for a little while longer. Golisopod simply returned to it's meal, thankful to see it's master's smile return to his face. Eventually Guzma became quiet. Slowly, he propped himself up onto his throne once more and laid in wait of anymore visitors. He still had a lot to think about.

\---

The longer Hau grinned at Gladion, the more he began considering buying goggles. Something about it glowed with an intensity that he was unfamiliar with. He was beginning to wonder why it was that way at all. It's not like he hadn't once had something similar to Hau's enthusiasm. Or his sister, for that matter. Regardless, he knew he had to find some way to put up with it, or he'd never get by far enough to his escape. Hau lead them down a steep path that brought them to a road leading into Hau'oli.

Despite being born in this region, he had never seen any of the islands before. As much as he hated to admit it, he was also in a similar awe and excitement that Hau was. The tropical climate was definitely a breath-taking sight, and he had seen few pokémon he hardly recognized. Growing up he had only seen whatever pokémon had been brought to the Paradise floor of the foundation or whatever was capable of reaching the backyard gardens of the island mansion.

This included of course his Cleffa and his sister's Lillipup. Despite this, he had no idea just how much of the outside world he had never seen. Maybe when he and Null passed over that horizon to a new home that would change. For now, though, he was condemned to explore Melemele with his unwilling partner in crime. Suddenly, they came to a stop as Gladion stared off at the beach to the left of the road. He wracked his brain once again, trying to think of anything from when he crashed.

But nothing came to him. Hau eventually noticed when the blonde was missing, and back-tracked to check on him. "Gladion? What's wrong?" he asked, snapping Gladion out of his trance. "Ah...I-I'm fine. Sorry to worry you. I was just thinking is all..." he explained, staring out solemnly at the open shore again. Hau followed his gaze and frowned, " _Oh_...r-right. The beach." A thought distracted Gladion from the view as he turned back to Hau.

"Look...you probably shouldn't use my real name in public. You're gonna have to call me something else when we're out here," Gladion insisted, crossing his arms. "C'mon, you're _totally_ a secret agent! Only secret agents have to use code names!" Hau insisted, his grin stretching across his face once again. Gladion sneered, which was all the quiet prompt Hau needed to be serious. He tapped his cheek in thought briefly, before look up at the older boy once again, "What abooouuut...Hanini?"

"Ha...what?" Gladion raised a brow in confusion at the odd suggestion. It sounded Alolan, but he had no idea what it could've meant. "O-Oh! It's an Alolan name. It means 'pouring rain'," Hau clarified. Gladion pouted and blushed faintly at this explanation, and Hau chuckled, "W-Well you're sort of like a raincloud, you know? You're always so grumpy. Unless you've got a _better_ idea, I'm gonna stick with it." Gladion sighed. He truly didn't have any better ideas since he didn't know a whole lot about names.

"Fine. Hanini it is. _Brat_." Hau stick his tongue out playfully, turning around towards the shopping district as he began his route forward again. "C'mon! If you gotta be _that_ secretive we should probably go buy you some new clothes! It's this way!" he prodded, forcing Gladion to follow, though hesitantly. It didn't take long to reach the apparel shop, but as soon as they did, it was a complete war on clothes. The boys couldn't seem to agree on anything, and the cashier snickered under her breath at them.

Every piece of clothing that Hau gave to Gladion for a suggestion was turned down quicker and more harshly than the last. He had expected Hau to become discouraged and give up after the first ten rejections, but once again, he was wrong. This kid's resolve was certainly persistent if nothing else. Eventually, however, Gladion's eyes rested upon a basket in the corner that seemed to be for clothes people decided after trying, they didn't want. 

Hau didn't notice him pulling things out of it at first, but after Gladion had pulled out a third item Hau began to peak over his shoulder to get a good look. "Hey, quit it. You're making a scene, you idiot," Gladion chided, harshly. Hau chuckled and stepped back, waving his hands in apology, "Sorry! You haven't been interested in anything yet so I'm excited!" Gladion simply rolled his eyes at Hau and went into the changing room. Hau waited patiently, though his anxiety had him tap his feet to entertain himself.

After a few minutes, Gladion finally pulled back the curtain and stepped out. His face was covered by a bright white hoodie with a blue rim and a large pocket sprawled across the front. Underneath, he appeared to be wearing pale blue shirt with short yet over-sized sleeves. His white khakis had strange elegant patterns on the pockets, and he was wearing cheap-looking blue sneakers. Hau simply stared at him, not giving him any feedback for the longest time. Until of course, Gladion snapped him out of his trance with his voice.

"Hey. It doesn't look _horrible_ , does it?" he asked. Hau simply blinked and raised a brow at him, "Well...it looks pretty cool. But won't you be _hot_ in a hoodie?" Gladion shook his head, "Nah...I always preferred the heat anyways. Guess it's a niche." Hau smiled and nodded, putting his hands behind his head as he leaned to the side. "Well then, let's pay for all this stuff and get going. There's still a few places we should check out before we head back."

The boys promptly paid for Gladion's new clothes before exiting and heading up the street for the Pokémon Center. Gladion was surprised to see they had a café in the corner. He didn't know too much about pokémon in general, but he had heard of these Pokémon Centers before. From what he understood, they were always a place for trainers to rest and heal their pokémon. Sometimes even being provided with a PC to change about their party members if they had too many.

He had also heard of them sometimes providing items for low prices. Things like healing sprays, discs that could be used to teach your pokémon new moves they couldn't learn on their own otherwise, and strange pills that apparently aided the creatures during battle. He supposed it was more for the trainers than for their pokémon. The woman at the front desk appeared to recognize Hau, and called out to him, "Oh! Hau! Is that _truly_ you? It feels as though it's been _ages_ since I last saw you! My, you're _tall_!"

Hau chuckled and walked up to her, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, "Sorry I haven't been able to visit. I just started my training, actually. I just came up here to buy some pokéballs." The nurse bowed her head respectfully, "Ah. I see. Apologies for the interruption. Please, let me know if you require my services." Hau turned back to Gladion for a moment, prompting Gladion to raise his head in attention.

"Gla- ...H- _Hanini_ , why don't you go get something to drink? Their tea isn't anything like mine, but I think you'd like it. I'll just be a minute," he said, before turning and heading to the shop in the back right corner of the building. Gladion considered just waiting and passing up Hau's offer. He trusted what he said without a doubt. Their tea probably _didn't_ compare to Hau's even slightly. Though, he was thirsty. And he wanted to at least claim he did something for himself today.

Hesitantly, he approached the bartender and quietly made his order. He didn't respond to the talkative man when he handed over the cup. His rambling about the tea's components went through one ear and right out the other. Gladion supposed he wasn't that bad of a guy, but he had rathered not to engage in any conversation with anyone besides Hau. At least, not unless it was absolutely necessary. "On edge" wasn't quite strong enough a phrase to describe how anxious he was about his mother's lackies.

Or any of her high and mighty friends, for that matter. He knew his mother. She would do everything, contact everyone she could in order to track him down. But he decided on fleeing to Melemele for a reason. He knew out of all the islands, it had the least amount of people who answered to her. Even if he had crashed on his way over, it was the most ideal hiding place. At least until he could get out of Alola officially. It didn't take long for Hau to finish his purchases before he caught up with Gladion by the café. 

"Hey. So how was it?"

"You were right. It's _nothing_ like your tea."

"Is that a _good_ thing, ooorrr...?"

" _Definitely_ bad. Your tea was a lot more sweet."

Gladion blushed as soon as the confession left his mouth, and he pulled on the strings of his hoodie to hide his face as he turned away from Hau. He hadn't meant to say this. It had just slipped out. How could he have let that happen? He was _supposed_ to be inconspicuous here. He had to keep his defenses up if he was going to survive with this kid around. Hau simply smiled, seeming more than pleased with the compliment as he grabbed Gladion's right hand again and tugged him towards the front door.

"C'mon, we got one more stop and then we can head back," he insisted, eagerly. Gladion sighed and gave in, allowing Hau to drag him about freely now. At the very least, the contact gave him assurance that Hau was paying close attention to him. The kid knew to make sure not to let him leave his sight for too long, even if he didn't know why. Perhaps he ought to give him far more credit than he actually did. He wasn't braindead, which was good. It was never that he was worried Hau would blow his cover.

He was more worried Hau would have to be caught in the middle if his cover was lime lighted against his will. As much as he didn't enjoy a whole lot about his company, he didn't wish for him to be hurt. In fact, the more time he spent with this kid, it only made him more anxious about what would happen if he were found out. He couldn't stand it if this kid was ruined like he was. He wouldn't allow his mother to do something like that to anyone else.

He didn't notice as these thoughts plagued him, but his grip on Hau's hand had tightened considerably. A gesture Hau _did_ notice. However, neither of them spoke on it and simply trotted along towards their final destination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooooo, this chapter is long.
> 
> Sorry for the abrupt end but I realized it was gettin' kind lengthy and I didn't wanna overdo it with this one.
> 
>  _Haha hey guys pouring rain, get it?_  
>  I need help lol


	9. Chapter 8 - Getting To Know You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Gladion begins to realize Hau isn't quite as annoying as he thought, Lillie contemplates her situation in Po Town.

"Here we are!"

"What _is_ this place?"

The two boys entered the small shop, their hands still locked together. It was a curious looking place, and Gladion had been so distracted he hadn't noted the sign outside detailing their current location. Hau turned to look Gladion in the eye, seeming confused by his question, "Didn't you see the sign outside? It's a Malasada Shop!" The older boy raised a brow at him and it was his turn to be confused. "What's a _malasada_?" he asked, the genuine curiosity causing Hau to gasp with surprise.

"You've _never_ eaten malasada before?!" Hau barked, seeming genuinely shocked at this. Gladion blushed a bit. He didn't let his curiosity of the new world around him show before now, and now that it had, he was little more than embarrassed. Though, he supposed that was just a benefit of Hau dragging him around against his will. "N...No?" he answered, unsure how to respond. "Man! What planet have you been on for the last 13 years? It's a treat that they have stores for all over Alola on pretty much _every_ island!"

"Is that so...?" Gladion trailed off, his thoughts clouding again. Unfortunately, he didn't get much time to space out before he was jerked back to his surroundings by Hau tugging on his arm again. The chefs behind the counter paid them no mind as they stared into the display to decide their malasadas. "Which one do you want?" Hau asked. Gears began to turn in Gladion's head just looking at all the different kinds. Hesitantly, he let go of Hau's hand to rub his temple in thought. Finally, he gave up and turned to Hau for an answer.

"Well...which one is your favorite?"

"Hmm...I like 'em all!"

"Hau, they can't _all_ be your favorite."

"Sure they can!"

Gladion crossed his arms and huffed impatiently, "Then _you_ pick one. I don't know what I want." He didn't want to let someone else decide something _for_ him. After all, he wanted to leave this region so he could change all that. His mother always decided everything for him, _especially_ what food he ate. Alas, he just couldn't make the decision on his own. Perhaps he had grown too spoiled and used to everyone else deciding what was best for him. And he knew that wasn't always the best way of thinking.

But for some reason...it didn't bug him quite as much as it would have with anyone else. Perhaps it was because he trusted his judgement far more than his mother's. After all, there was no way he'd ever do something to screw him over deliberately. He seemed hardly even capable of harming a fly. The envy began rising back up at the thought of Hau's innocence and he forced himself to stop thinking about it altogether. However, he had found he was so occupied with his thoughts he didn't notice Hau had already ordered.

This time, he didn't let Hau know about his wavering attention span. He didn't want to give the kid a reason to have to ask him if he was ok every five minutes again. The only thing he wanted this kid to do was pay attention. That, and keep his head down. Gladion's eyes widened a bit when Hau suddenly held out a white powdered treat that resembled donuts that Gladion had eaten before wrapped in a plastic hold. He gently took it from Hau, and nodded at him, "Th-Thanks."

Hau smiled and turned away as he began digging in sloppily to his own malasada. Gladion hesitated for a moment, before taking a bite. His eyes widened. The inside was cold, but it paled in comparison to the flavor. His thoughts wandered back to Hau's tea and mentally he found himself unable to figure out which he liked better. When he breathed, he found that his breath was foggy as if the air inside was wintery cold. Were malasadas usually this cold? But he didn't shiver, it wasn't enough to give him brain freeze, either.

His thoughts were interrupted by Hau hissing in pain. He immediately turned his full attention onto the younger boy and found he was practically biting his tongue which was now glowing red. He noticed Hau's malasada had a strangely red coloring to it and appeared to be filled with a spicy substance. He couldn't stop himself...he panicked, "H-Hau! What's wrong, what happened?!" Hau's jaw went slack and he took in a sharp breath as he fanned his tongue with his hand, "N-Nothing, I'm fine. J-Just the spices. It's really _hot_."

The older boy calmed down at this, but he still stared worriedly at Hau. He glanced down at his own malasada, and then held it out to Hau. Hau seemed confused and met Gladion's eyes in an un-spoken question. "H-Here. Mine's really cold. It should help," he offered. Hau hesitated for a moment, before taking a big bite into it after his seething tongue demanded relief. He quickly swallowed, and as he breathed, he too had a fog-like breath. Gladion couldn't help but smile gently seeing Hau's relief. It almost made him believe it made up for all the trouble he'd caused.

"Thanks...I always forget how hot this one is. Did you like yours?" Hau asked, drawing another blush out of Gladion. He pouted and turned away indignantly, not wanting to give Hau the satisfaction of his obvious victory over him. "I...It was alright, I guess," he lied. Hau could tell this was false of course, and grinned wide, "You _love_ it, dontcha? I'm glad! Though, I can't believe you _seriously_ went so long without trying one. Are you _sure_ you're from around here?" Gladion gave him a sheepish look.

_More troublesome questions..._ he thought. He sighed and decided to indulge him as an apology for lying, "Well... _technically_ I was born here. I just never really left my house." Hau's already steadily growing pity for Gladion just grew further with that answer. He wondered if his parents were over-protective like he'd heard of a few being before. His grandfather had once told him that parenting was no easy task, so many of them made mistakes they often regretted. He never really believed he'd truly understand until he was a parent himself when he was older. But that was surely a long ways away from now.

"Well...I'm glad I could introduce you to one of the best things in Alola!" Hau grinned. Gladion could tell he was relishing in the fact he was the sole reason for his enjoyment. He huffed, hiding his face as he narrowed his glare. Hesitantly, he continued eating, slowly, so he could draw out the enjoyment as long as he could. Of course, this meant Hau had finished an entire five minutes before he did with just a few bites, and he wondered if Hau had ever choked on his food before. Eventually, though, he finished his own malasada and stepped outside with the younger boy.

"Well, that's about everything around here. Let's go back up to my tutu's place. Unless you wanna stop by some of the gardens around here," Hau suggested, seeming eager to train despite asking Gladion for permission. However, something else ahead had caught the blonde's eye and he gasped as his eyes widened. Hau turned around to see what he was looking at and noticed the Ferry Station. "What is it, G- ... _Hanini_?" Hau asked, once again having to correct himself. "Is...that a Ferry Station?" he answered back with another question.

"Well...yeah. All the islands have that. It usually bring in tourists from other regions, though," Hau explained. Gladion walked past him, but stopped briefly and turned to look at him. "D-Do you mind if we scope it out? I know I can't leave yet...but I wanna know what it is I'm up against here." Hau seemed surprised at the question. It was the first area in all of Hau'oli Gladion had showed any interest in. He knew his grandfather probably wouldn't like this one bit. But he had already made up his mind about the elder boy. Between his grandfather and Gladion, he would cooperate with the blonde.

He stepped forward to join Gladion, not bothering to answer the question. The older boy knew exactly what his answer was with this gesture, and followed him towards the marina. They didn't have to walk all that far before Gladion was caught dead in his tracks again with his breath utterly ripped from his throat. The wind was gentle by the sea, and he couldn't help but stare in awe and anticipation at the open sea. He didn't smile, but Hau noticed his eyes sparkle with adoration. He couldn't help but find the expression... _cute_?

He shook his head, grabbing Gladion's right arm to get his attention and succeeding, "Hey. Are you alright?" Gladion nodded, the look in his eyes still strong, "S-Sorry. I'm just...it's so _close_. I guess I'm just overwhelmed, is all." Hau frowned at this. Now he knew for _sure_ he was mortified by something. He knew nobody would exhibit this kind of behavior otherwise. It turned his stomach in a way he didn't quite understand. "You... _really_ think you have to leave, huh?" Hau asked, even though he knew the answer already.

"I don't _think_ it. I _know_ it. And I'm sure of it now more than ever that Null and I _have_ to get out of here." He turned to Hau before continuing, "Hau...I want to thank you. For bringing me out here. You're not a bad kid. It's just that I can't put you in danger for longer than I have to." Hau didn't answer the thanks, instead nodding and staring intently at the blonde. He was about to say something, when suddenly Gladion pulled him aside behind one of the walls of the station and covered his mouth. He struggled at first, until Gladion whispered into his ear.

" _Shh...! They'll hear us...!_ "

Hau relaxed himself, wondering if perhaps the people Gladion were running from had finally showed up. He considered pulling free from him just to get a look, but decided against it. However, his questions were both answered and amplified as two voices emerged from around the corner they had taken shelter behind.

"-Why the hell would she call that man-child? What the hell is _he_ gonna do that we _can't_?"

"Hell if I know. Honestly, I hope that little brat comes around _here_ so _I_ can get all the credit."

"Weird that she only wants the Type:Null...you'd _think_ she'd wanna punish that brat for taking something so important. And Arceus only knows who he's spilled his secrets to."

"Psh, don't be an idiot. Even _he_ knows he can't tell nobody nuthin'."

"Yeah...I guess so. Look, I'm gonna go to the docks and keep my eye out for 'im. You head back inside. I'll call you if I see something."

"Hey, hold on. Hypothetically speakin', what's the protocol if he's got some _friends_ with 'im or somethin'?"

"The President says if _anybody_ helps him, they're to be swiftly dealt with using any necessary force."

"Got it."

The sounds of fading footsteps and the doors inside creaking shut allowed them both to relax. Gladion slowly released Hau from his grip, sweat beading down his face. Hau looked up at him from below, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. It did nothing to calm Gladion's nerves, until, that is, he spoke what had been on his mind.

"Are you _sure_ you're not a secret agent?"

Gladion groaned. This kid was insufferable and yet invaluable all at once. An annoying combination Gladion couldn't decide was good or bad.

\---

_"Hey, big brother?"_

_"Yeah? What is it, Lillie?"_

_"...Are Ghost Type pokémon real?"_

_"W...Well...yeah. They are. Are you scared of them?"_

_"Mmhm. I've heard that they can hide in your shadow...o-or in the walls. Or under your bed. A-And they're really good at hiding...especially when it's night time."_

_"Well don't feel bad. I'm scared of them too."_

_"You are?"_

_"Yeah. I know I'm supposed to be brave for you and all...but even I have things I'm scared of sometimes. Everyone does."_

_"Even mommy?"_

_"..."_

_"Oh...you're making that face again...I-I'm sorry..."_

_"N-No no, it's ok...I miss her too."_

_"...Is she ever gonna come visit us again?"_

_"...Hey, we don't need her. We've got each other, don't we?"_

_"Huh?"_

_"Let's swear on it. I promise, if anything happens, you can count on me to be here with you for it."_

_"...Promise."_

Lillie stirred at the memory that had taken the place of her dreams. It was late now, likely past midnight. And she knew now it'd be difficult if not impossible to return to her previous slumber. She stared out the broken window that allowed Alola's bright, full moon to cast it's light upon her face. Slowly, she sat up and rose to her feet, briefly checking Nebula in the dufflebag before hesitantly leaving the room to head outside. It was quiet, save for the subtle hums of Kricketunes that hid in the little forestation that was scattered about Po Town.

All the grunts had holed up inside one of the many buildings, or in one of the vehicles parked in precariously obstructive positions around the vicinity. It was almost _too_ easy to exit through the barrier wall that surrounded Po Town as she stepped out into the open world she had yet to see since her arrival. It looked barren and lifeless, safe for patches of tall grass and a path leading what she could've sworn was a police station. Beyond some of the tall grass was a pond, complimented by a berry tree that had dropped a few of it's delicacies. Carefully, she made her way over to the small body of water and sat upon a small rock as she huffed.

She didn't have too much time to herself to think. Up till now, she had been training. Be it in battle or being whipped into a proper punk by Plumeria. The only moment she had to herself recently was consoling her Cleffa and checking briefly on Nebula's condition. It didn't take long for thoughts to swirl around in her head. She began assessing her situation. The people she had now come to make allies with. She hadn't been here all that long, just a few days. She knew they were criminals, and while it was true they didn't kill people, they weren't very moral either.

However, she already couldn't help but trust these people. It was clear from their structure. Even _if_ the other kids were rude or obnoxious...they _definitely_ would be just as helpless as she if not for Guzma. Everything she had heard about him, all the police reports and their theories...it all lined up too perfectly. Now she didn't know about the whole "Man-Child" thing, but she was certain of this; he valued those kids like _family_. It amazed her that despite being _total_ strangers they could have something this functional.

In a way, she was envious to the point where it boiled her blood. But then Guzma had shown his obvious favor of her over the others...and suddenly it felt less insulting. However, this drove her to ask herself a few things. Like how long she could keep up this little act of hers. Could she truly join this little gaggle of misfits and be content? What if she was too weak for their training to work on her? Would this goal of hers...this mission to tear down her arrogant mother even _work_? And if it did...would it bring her _any_ satisfaction at all? Would it even stop her?

Sure, she definitely didn't think her brother's plan worked any better. Simply running from your problems was a childish and redundant way of thinking. In this world, things don't just work out _for_ you simply because you _wish_ for them to. A hard lesson she was forced to swallow far too soon. She should be able to expand her imagination, to see the world with the kind of wonder and curiosity any other child in Alola could right this very moment. She should be having big dreams about what kind of trainer she'd be. If she'd even get to be a Champion somewhere, someday. But her mother had destroyed that.

She wouldn't allow her daughter that luxury. She didn't believe she had any right to it. Lillie scowled as she thought about just how much she wanted to kick her mother right in her infuriating teeth. The fact that she had no way to channel this energy, and probably wouldn't for some time, only made it worse. Then her thoughts trailed to her brother again and her fury boiled deeper. She was more than glad that the Cleffa didn't cling to him. Sure, she was heart broken she had to take it's bond away with the truth.

But she knew lying to it was beneath her. Once again, she found herself asking desperately to the faded image of her brother why. Why he left. Why he didn't take Cleffa. Why he didn't just _talk_. Talk to _someone_ , _anyone_. Talk to Wicke. Talk to _her_. She was angry and yet confused by his cowardly mentality. It finally pushed her over the edge, as she angrily tossed a stone against the water and accidentally managed to succeed her first attempt at skipping it. She was too angry to notice or be elated, though.

However, all her anger and thoughts dissipated when a familiar and smooth voice emerged from behind her.

"Thought I saw someone come out here...what's got _you_ so pissed off, princess?"

Lillie turned around and wasn't at all surprised to see that it was indeed who she thought it was. Plumeria had her hand on her hip and she had a brow raised at Lillie curiously. Lillie cleared her throat, turning to face Plumeria hesitantly. "I-I was just... _thinking_ , is all. I couldn't sleep so I came out here. I hope that's ok..." she explained, honestly. Plumeria shrugged and sneered a bit, "Well, shoot, kid. We _all_ got demons that keep us up at night sometimes."

Lillie tilted her head curiously at this, "Wait...do you mean... _you_ couldn't sleep either?"

"Guilty as charged."

"Did you have a nightmare or something?"

"Listen, princess, I know _you're_ not gonna tell me so I sure as hell ain't gonna tell _you_."

Lillie couldn't even argue with this train of logic. Plumeria was right. Lillie probably _wouldn't_ admit to what was troubling her. _Probably_. She climbed back onto the rock she had been sitting on, and slumped down gracefully to relax. Plumeria followed her lead on another rock beside it, resting her elbow on her knee as she sat. "You're all so close here. It's not at all what I was expecting..." Lillie sighed. Plumeria smirked and shrugged again, "That's us. Fulla surprises. I don't even blame ya for not getting it at first glance. You almost fit in _perfectly_ with the little brats."

"Heh...tell that to _them_. They hate my guts."

"They don't _hate_ you, princess. They just don't like how much attention the boss is givin' you. Envy and hate are two totally different things, you know."

"I suppose you have a point."

"You know...you're pretty brave for a upper-class priss such as yourself. But what else can I expect when your mother's been practically suffocating you so much she may as well bury you alive?"

"It feels nice to not have her breathing down my neck for a change. It almost seems too good to be true."

"Well believe it, princess. I was surprised at how much ya liked all the stuff I brought you to pick out to wear, too. _Especially_ with that gaudy bright get up."

"My mother forced me to dress like that...I used to have this _ridiculous_ huge floppy hat too. But I left it behind when I escaped the Aether Foundation."

"About that...how the hell did you end up on the beach like that? Do you remember anythin'?"

"...No...I'm afraid not. Sor- ...I-I mean-"

"I'll let that one slide."

Lillie smiled and they both shared a giggle. She couldn't remember the last time she had a genuine talk with someone like this. It was...nice. Just like Gladion, she had never left the Foundation walls once until a few days prior. The outside world of Alola was completely alien to her. She had never once had a friend, and she didn't have family figures to rely on for very long. For some reason, she found Plumeria's company very motherly-like.

She remembered how tender and casual she was during her make-over. Sure, a few times she was chided about her speech patterns. But she had actually given her genuine advice about socializing and giving clever comebacks to rude insults. She could barely remember the last time Lusamine had done such a thing for her. She smiled tenderly at Plumeria as she continued, "Well...it doesn't matter. This is my home now. Or at least...it will be until I'm strong enough to return to my mother."

Plumeria's smile faded and she simply stared quietly at Lillie. _Did I over-step my boundaries?_ Lillie thought, worried making such a statement was a little too friendly. Instead, Plumeria changed the subject. "You know...most chicks your age have some real fancy earrings on them," Plumeria pointed out. Lillie blushed and looked down anxiously, "W-Well...I've always been sorta scared of needles. S-So I never really wanted any piercings anyways."

"Well...I could help ya get over that if you wanted."

"What do you mean...?"

"I can pierce your ear for ya. Just one, don't wanna over-do it for your first time or anything. It can be _aaanything_ you want. Just nothing too elegant or noble. Don't wanna taint the intimidating image now do we?"

"Anything I want...? W-Well...thank you but...I don't even know what to pick!"

"Hmm...come with me. I'll take you into my workshop and hook you up," Plumeria offered, climbing down off her rock and holding a hand out to Lillie to aid her. She hesitated. "W-Wait...right _now_?" Lillie stammered. Plumeria sneered and raised a brow at her, "What? You got somewhere important to be or something? Ya can't sleep anyways, might as well pass the time, right?" She pondered this for a moment. Eventually, she decided Plumeria was right. Besides, maybe it would help her get over some of her confidence barriers. Slowly, Lillie nodded, a sheepish frown stretched across her face as she nervously took Plumeria's hand.

Carefully, she hopped down and joined Plumeria on the ground, promptly following her back to the front doors of Po Town's walls. It was going to be a long night, she knew this from the moment her eyes opened. This wasn't going to be pretty...but she would endure it. She _had_ to.


	10. Chapter 9 - Something New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Gladion contemplates a new plan to keep Null safe, he begins to realize something he didn't notice before. Meanwhile, Plumeria gives Lillie her first piercing.

_"Woah! Hanini, look! It's a Pichu! This is so cool! I just_ _**gotta**_ _catch it!"_

_"What is it with you and Pichus anyways?"_

_"Raichus are just sooo cool! I know everyone really loves Pikachu, in fact it's one of the most popular pokémon in the world over."_

_"S-Slow down. I never heard of either of those pokémon before."_

_"You have a_ _**lot**_ _to learn, Hanini."_

_"Would you just catch it so we can go home already? We've been out here for nearly an hour."_

_"Oh! Right! Er...y-you don't have to watch if it makes you uncomfortable."_

_"Wh- ...Oh...that's right. No, i-it's fine. I can handle it."_

_"If you say so. Watch and learn, Hanini! I'll show you catching pokémon ain't_ _**so**_ _bad!"_

Gladion sighed in exhaustion as he sunk into couch tiredly. It had been a long day and it was an even longer trip back home somehow. Or at least it _felt_ like it. He felt bad about dragging Hau to the Ferry Station and almost getting him caught up in the Aether Foundation's hunt for him. So he decided to indulge the younger boy and accompany him in his training. This of course meant that he had to stand off to the side and let Hau handle any wild pokémon himself. Though he was an unwilling student in a lesson on catching pokémon.

It was true that he wasn't one of those preachy people Hau had mentioned that were against pokéballs. But he was still hesitant about capturing Null. It seemed as if it were no different than what his mother did to it. What the _scientists_ did to it. After all, he had first found the Nulls in unkempt, colorless and bleak cages. Imprisoned against their will. And true, he never had the chance to learn anything about being a trainer before. He had no real opinions on training pokémon just yet.

But so far, he could tell at least Hau had a very healthy relationship with his pokémon. So maybe, _just maybe_ , it wasn't all that bad after all. It elated him to see Hau so happy that he had caught a Pichu. He didn't quite understand his obsession with them still, but he knew he'd probably take good care of it. Other than Hala, Gladion definitely trusted him with Null if anything were to ever happen to him. This thought made him think perhaps he should prepare for all likelihoods.

After all, he had no idea what kinds of aces his mother held now that it was clear she didn't intend on giving him a chance to escape. Whether he wanted to stay or not, now he had no choice. Which meant he'd have to learn to get along with Hau. At least for now. He was a little too curious, the worst kind of person Gladion could situate himself with. And the constant badgering wasn't helping his opinion all that much, either. He wondered once again if Hau would _ever_ run out of questions. Though the day he had spent with Hau eased his mind about the kid even if just a little.

He didn't want to admit it, least of all to Hau, but he had enjoyed himself today. Even if he didn't understand how Hau could get excited by the littlest things. Even if Hau was eager to see Gladion's choice in clothing. Even if he accidentally admitted how he felt about his tea. Even if he lied to him about not liking malasadas. He sat up, running his hands through his hair in frustration. He didn't understand why it was so hard. He shouldn't let his guilt over-rule his caution like that. But for some reason he hardly had the power to lecture Hau or even just tell him "No" anymore.

Null was laying on the floor beside the couch, and turned it's head to look at Gladion when it noticed him move. His face was almost completely red and it tilted it's head at him in confusion. It had never seen the blonde like this before. It couldn't help but wonder what exactly happened between him and the younger boy outside while Hala was playing with it. When the blonde groaned and pouted, he was pulled out of his miniature fit when Null gently nudged at his hip for comfort. He sighed and pet Null gently to assure it, "I don't get it...why's it so hard to keep secrets? What's so special about him anyways..."

The Null still seemed unable to understand it's companion's troubles and Gladion simply shook his head. "Nevermind...whatever happens, I'll still make sure you're safe," he promised quietly. It was quiet, Hala had left to attend late-night Kahuna business and Hau was most likely asleep in his room. So there was a lot of space for his thoughts to wander about. His hairs stood up on end when he heard foot steps approach him from behind and his face turned completely red when Hau's voice filled the silent gap between Null's grunts and Gladion's breathing. "Hey, you're still up?" he asked, seeming worried.

Gladion didn't look at him as he slumped over, "Y...Yeah. 'Guess I just...can't stop thinking." Though he didn't see it, Hau sneered with a guilty and sad look on his face. The limits to which Hau pitied Gladion seemed to have no end. Slowly, he circled around to the other couch across from Gladion and sat down. "Are you still bummed about the Ferry Station?" he guessed, nervously. Gladion hugged his knees, burying his face in his arms indignantly as he pouted. He didn't want Hau to see him like this. But he knew he probably wasn't going to go away anytime soon now.

"Maybe a little...but I know crying about it won't get me anywhere."

"That doesn't mean it's a bad thing if you do. But, I'd be lying if I said I'd rather you didn't."

"What does it matter to you, anyways?"

"...Tutu's told me about people like you. That's why I knew that you were really scared of something. I know you haven't wanted to talk about what happened earlier, but-"

"I _can't_ answer you. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to. I think I already kinda get it."

Gladion lifted his head hesitantly to peer at Hau, "You... _do_?" He had all but forgotten he was trying to hide his blushing face from him. A fatal error he regretted when Hau's eyes met his. Hau's eyes widened, and he immediately got up and approached Gladion. Gladion's face only got more flushed when Hau put his hand on his cheek and moved it to his forehead. His hand was warm, which obviously did nothing for his own rising temperature. "Dude! You're totally burning up! Shoot...maybe it was too early to take you outside!" he whined, seeming upset with himself.

Gladion swatted his hand away and pouted, looking away indignantly, "I-I'm fine, I swear. It's probably just a cold or something. I dunno." Hau huffed impatiently and pouted back at him. He mistook the lie for Gladion simply making excuses to not worry about him. He knew the blonde was stubborn by now, though he didn't take him for a total fool so far as his health went. However, he was distracted when he noticed something sparkle in one of Gladion's pockets and his posture eased up as he peered to get a better look at it. Gladion didn't notice at first, trying not to meet Hau's eyes.

"Hey, what's that in your pocket? Did your hoodie come with somethin' shiny?" Hau asked. Gladion's eyes widened and sweat beaded down his face. There was definitely no excuse for him to come up with this quickly. And he knew it. Hesitantly, he sighed the truth as he pulled out the crystal from his hoodie's front pocket, "N-No...I got it from Tapu Koko. But I couldn't think of a good enough excuse to tell Hala where I got it from. So I kept it to myself." Hau's now sparkling eyes nearly fell out of their sockets.

"WOAH! _DUDE_!"

"Wh-What?!"

"That's a Z-Crystal!"

"A...what?"

"It's a special item that you can use in battle with your pokémon! If you have a Z-Ring, you can use it to do really cool stuff! But they're _super_ rare and hard to get because only a Tapu can make Z-Rings and Z-Crystals!"

"In battle, you said? Then why would it give it to _me_...?"

"What kind is it? Lemme see."

Gladion wasted no time placing the crystal into Hau's hand and watched as he carefully examined it. Though the more he looked at it, the more perplexed he became. This only served to make Gladion nervous, "Wh-What's wrong?" Hau hummed in thought before he looked at Gladion again, "Well...I can't tell what kind of Z-Crystal this is. I thought it was Electrium but it's more golden and the symbol doesn't look quite right." Gladion raised a brow at him. Even the Kahuna's own son didn't know everything about this strange crystal? Though, maybe that's not as farfetched as he made it out to be. He _was_ kind of ditzy.

"Well... _you_ can keep it. I don't know the first thing about battling and I _doubt_ Null can use these things." _And you seem to like it, if it makes you happy..._ he added, mentally. Hau seemed surprised at the offer and raised a brow at the blonde, "W-Wait. _Seriously_? You'd let me have this?" Gladion nodded, "Mm. You now more about this stuff than me anyways. It's yours." The smile that crept onto Hau's face caused Gladion to flush and he could practically feel the heat radiating off his own face. He turned his gaze down and faked a cough to cover up his embarrassment.

"Oh geez...! Man...I can't let you sleep on this stupid couch anymore. C'mon, you can sleep in _my_ bed," Hau offered. This offer only served to make Gladion's flushing even worse as he stammered, "N-No way! I-I c-can't sleep in your bed! Th-That's _weird_!" At first Hau was going to ask what was so weird about it. But then he realized what he thought he had been implying, and he joined in Gladion's flustered flushing unknowingly, "A-Ah! Th-That's not...! Oh geez...I'm bad with words." Gladion didn't look up, but his mind was now rattled with even _more_ questions.

Gladion was calmed as Hau continued to explain himself, "I-I just meant you can take my bed while _I_ sleep out _here_." _Oh_. _That's_ what he meant. He sighed in relief and worked up the courage to look Hau in the face, though his face was still flushed like a tomato. "O-Oh...thanks, but...I-I couldn't. It's _your_ room, after all. I don't want to intrude." Hau just snickered and waved off his excuse, "Oh please! I don't got nothin' to hide! Besides...I _won't_ take no for an answer."

Once again, the older boy was forced to cave in as he knew full well he wouldn't win. He pouted at Hau and grumbled lowly, "Fine." With an annoyed huff, he stood up and entered the younger boy's bed room with Null and made a bee-line for the bed so quickly he didn't take any note of the rest of the room. However, once he had settled down, he noticed how unkempt it was. He also noticed various posters with a multitude of pokémon and human celebrities alike. And a single picture frame rested on his nightstand where his bookbag was leaned against it.

It was torn, obviously tampered with and not unintentional damage at that. It appeared to be of Hala and a kid that much resembled Hau. A woman was also in the photo as well, her hair the same color as Hau's and ungodly long. Behind her appeared to be another figure, but his face was obstructed by the tear that hid a corner of the photograph. It reminded him of the many photographs he had seen around his own home before, even in his mother's office. They were often a comfort after his father was gone, something for him and Lillie to keep faith that maybe one day he'd return home.

Though, after a while, they became less comforting and more like cruel reminders that things would never go back to how they were again. Their childish naivety couldn't last forever, after all. And their mother's ever-growing, erratic behavior only served to worsen the ache of the photographs with each passing day. He wondered if _Hau_ had torn that picture, thinking on it. However, he didn't have much time to ponder it when Hau caught his attention from the doorway by waving at him. "You guys comfy in there?" he asked. Gladion simply nodded, "Y-Yes. Thank you, Hau. We'll try not to make too much noise."

Hau reached to turn off the light, and suddenly a thought that had much lingered in the back of Gladion's head for the past few minutes suddenly sprang forward. His mouth disobeyed him as he suddenly called out at Hau, "W-Wait." Hau flinched in surprise, and turned his attention back to Gladion curiously, "Ah...wh-what is it? Is something wrong?" Gladion hesitated for a long moment before finally deciding that he may as well finished what he started.

"...You...said you thought you get it. What is it you get, exactly...?"

"...W-Well...if what those people said is true, you're not just scared. You're running from somebody."

"Hmph...not just 'somebody'."

"No...but I know you're _definitely_ not the bad guy in all this. There's no way. Bad guys don't act the way you do."

"Act like _what_?"

"...I just know. I know you don't trust me, but that doesn't mean I don't trust _you_."

Gladion would've probably asked why that was. He probably would've yelled at Hau. Warned him, or straight up begged him to stop. Just...stop being so nice. Didn't he know it was dangerous to just listen to total strangers? He gripped his sheets as he stared at Hau. He couldn't bring himself to respond at all. _What am I doing...? I shouldn't let him do this. He should know it's dangerous to put faith in me. I'm not strong enough to handle that!_ Gladion thought. But still, his mouth wouldn't open. Hau couldn't read his mind, but he could tell something was bothering Gladion.

He offered a friendly smile as he leaned against the doorway, "Hey...you don't gotta worry about anything. We're... _friends_. Or at least... _I_ think you're a pretty cool friend. But if you need more time to think, I get it. Good night, Ha- ...G- _Gladion_." He chuckled before continued, "Gotta get used to using the right names." Without another word, he turned off the light and closed the door behind him as he exited. He turned down to stare at his hands as soon as Hau was out of sight. Gladion sat still for a long time, and while he briefly considered going after Hau, he ultimately decided against it.

Questions plagued his mind once again. _Why didn't I say anything? What's wrong with me?!_ he thought, frustrated with his ability to snap at Hau lessening with each second they spent together. Why was it so hard to talk to him? He could manage just fine a few days ago. What had changed? Yes, it had only been a few days. So why was Hau putting so much faith in him? Why would he call him his friend? He didn't even know him! He still hardly knew anything about Gladion at all. And vice versa. It's not like he had to be cruel, but he couldn't just let Hau put himself at risk like this.

_Then why? Why can't I..._

Suddenly, a realization hit him. He stared down at his right hand. The feeling of holding Hau's hand came rushing back to him as he finally realized he had been squeezing it in the midst his daydreaming. He whispered aloud to himself as his blush finally calmed, "His...hand. I-I..." Null had been staring at him nearly the entire time. When it's companion grabbed his right wrist, it tilted it's head curiously once again. It felt as thought it was understanding better now, though it was still just out of reach of it's answer. Gladion breathed gently, the moments he had spent with Hau up to this point playing back in his mind like a movie.

His tea. The way he looked at him. The way he doted over him. The silly name he gave him. His hand holding Gladion's. His smile. The way his hand on his cheek felt. A smile crept it's way onto Gladion's face as he sighed dreamily. He had spent so much time worrying about his mother, about the Aether Foundation, about Null. He had no time to consider just how much he enjoyed someone being so kind and caring towards him. He couldn't remember the last time anyone had treated him this way or even remotely close to it. It was a luxury he had long missed. Though, something seemed... _different_.

But he couldn't place it. Whatever it was, he liked it a lot. He finally laid back, unable to keep his eyelids open any longer. Null watched it's companion drift peacefully off to sleep, and for the first time in many years, Gladion would have a peaceful dream.

\---

Lillie stared nervously at the display of piercings laid out before her. She had never had to pick from so many options before. True, she had made few decisions in her overall wardrobe not to long ago. But they didn't have too much to pick from then. This time, there were way too _many_ options. Plumeria couldn't help but giggle at the girl's internal struggle. It was always adorable watching these kids pick out their first piercings. Though, at the same time, it irked her just a tad. She, just like Guzma, had a twisted stomach listening to her sob story.

Even moreso the second time around, for that matter. Most of the grunts didn't know that half the work they did was underneath the orders of one of the most rich and infamous figures of Alola. _They'd probably lose their shit if they knew the half of it..._ Plumeria thought, _I know I sure as hell did at first_. She clearly remembered that day that Guzma came to her about the proposition the great Lusamine had offered him. Her first reaction was exactly what he was expecting.

_"Sounds like a bunch of pretty bullshit to me."_

However, the more he rambled about it, the more she liked what she heard. She couldn't help but wonder if there were any real elegant looking beasts in this Ultra Space she heard of. Ever since she was little, she was a big fan of all the feminine built pokémon she'd seen on TV or in person. She also grew a fondness for lizard pokémon. Especially Salandits. She and Guzma both had their niches after all. She liked scaly little devils and gorgeous feminine sirens. And he liked gross alien-looking creatures that creeped out the general public.

She went a long time without admitting it to him, but she too got goosebumps just _looking_ at bug pokémon. Though this phobia was cured by the time she spent with Guzma and his pokémon. Not to mention how careful Guzma was to ease her into just touching his Golisopod for the first time. Over the years, and though she wouldn't dare tell him or anyone else, she had began to develop a childish crush on him. A few of the girls they had taken in stuck their nose in this of course. Often times when they caught the two together, they tried their hardest to get them closer.

Plumeria would always scold them for their scheming. After all, she wanted to be able to get through this on her own time. Not theirs. However, this attachment to Guzma was at least half her motivation to just go along with whatever he decided. A gavel that she was more than annoyed with. Though there was little she could do about it. Regardless, she could tell that Guzma felt exactly the same way she felt about Lusamine during Lillie's application. They knew they couldn't change their plans now, as much as they both wanted to knowing what they knew now. It's not even that they didn't believe her.

They had never had real kids of their own, but this gang was somewhat akin to that test doctors would recommend to you before having them. And it definitely wasn't an easy task, and they certainly weren't perfect role models. But they cared for every single one of those little fools. They hadn't yet turned down someone who was truly screwed over by Alola's backwards society. And they taught them the important things. They were old enough to be trainers, so surely they were old enough to learn the harder lessons life had to offer. After all, most of them were already unwillingly thrust into cruel reality earlier than they should've been.

_Including_ Guzma and Plumeria themselves.

"Hey, sweetie. Don't hurt yourself thinking about it," Plumeria suddenly interrupted, unable to watch Lillie strife any longer. Lillie bowed her head and sweat nervously, "A-Ah! I'm- ...I'm um...just not sure which I should pick." Plumeria smiled gently, "You gotta learn to be more confident, princess. I hope you don't _battle_ like this." Lillie shook her head frantically, "C-Certainly _not_! Though...I'm still not quite used to it yet. B-But I can lear-"

She was silenced as Plumeria plugged her mouth with her index finger. "Hush. Here, lemme narrow it down a little. I'll let you pick out from this bunch. They go real nicely with your outfit," she said, moving most of the piercings aside to leave a much smaller array for Lillie to choose from. Lillie sighed in relief, and her face was far less strained looking over the new line-up. Eventually, she finally pointed to one that looked like a large ring that had fairy pattern designs that blocked the insides of it.

" _That_ one. It looks really pretty," she decided. Plumeria picked it up and examined it, sneering a bit and raised a brow at Lillie curiously, "Are you _sure_ , princess? This here is a tunnel. It's supposed to fit in your ear lobe, not _dangle_ from it." Lillie nodded, "Th-That's fine. I like how that sounds, actually." Plumeria chuckled, turning to lead Lillie to the chair settled in the corner, "Well, you've certainly got some guts. This ain't gonna be very pretty."

"I know...I _want_ to do it."

"That's the spirit, princess. Have a seat...this is gonna take a while."

Lillie sat nervously in the seat. She didn't pay any attention to Plumeria's doings, knowing it'd probably just make her nerves more shot than they needed to be. It was going to hurt. And it was going to happen. There was no getting around it. The sound of sizzling that rose into a high-pitched hiss of steam caught her attention. She didn't move from her position, merely taking deep breaths to preemptively calm herself. Eventually, Plumeria returned to her side.

She was holding a rod about the size of the tunnel she had picked out, but it was a couple inches long. At the end was a sharp blade, and it burned red with heat probably generated by a stove of some kind. At some point, Plumeria had put on gloves and held the rod carefully. She tossed a strange looking rubbery toy that resembled Slowpoke into the girl's hands and Lillie caught it successfully. "What's _this_ for?" she inquired, giving the toy a squeeze to find it's body parts bulged out as a result. A part of her thought that it was a little obscene...and perhaps a bit sadistic.

"It's a stress toy. It's for you to use so you don't squirm around while I put this in," Plumeria explained. Lillie gulped, and nodded, trying her hardest not to look scared. Plumeria sat in a stool beside her, and Lillie sat still, taking another deep breath to prepare herself for what was coming. "Don't stress...it'll be over before you know it," Plumeria cooed gently, carefully aiming the rod above Lillie's lobe. Lillie closed her eyes tightly, already feeling the overwhelming heat of the rod against her skin. She squeezed the toy lightly, as a preemptive preparation for the pain she was about to experience.

The rod slowly poked into her flesh, and she drew in a sharp breath as tears pricked at her eyes. Hot wasn't an adequate enough term for how much it burned. She felt like her skin was going to melt off just from the first contact. Then, it penetrated her lobe. She bite her lip and instinctively crushed the toy in her hand. Her other hand gripped onto the arm-rest. She wouldn't allow herself to scream. She wouldn't cry. She would be strong. No matter how much it hurt. Slowly, Plumeria pushed the rod further in and Lillie couldn't help a quiet whimper. Plumeria sighed and began whispering gently to Lillie to calm her.

"It's alright, sweetie. You're doing good. We're almost there..."

Eventually, Plumeria managed to get the rod sufficiently deep enough in that she could prepare to put in the tunnel. Grabbing it from the table beside her, she placed it on the top of the rod. Once again, she continued pushing until finally the rod was replaced by the tunnel. Carefully, she placed the rod back on the table and made sure the tunnel was secure. She sat back for a moment, letting the goth revel in the sweet release from her torment. Lillie heaved heavily, opening an eye to peer at Plumeria, which allowed a stray tear to escape her socket, "I-Is it in...?"

Plumeria nodded, patting Lillie's head to comfort her, "Yup. All in. Here, lemme get you something for the burn." She stood up, making her way over to a vending machine and inserting a pokéuro to get a fresh, cold can out of it. She traded off the can with the toy and placed the toy onto the table beside the still seething rod. Lillie gently held the can against her ear, the relief of it's cold aluminium easily soothing her burning ear. She let out an exasperated sigh as she slowly turned her attention back to Plumeria. Lillie mustered a sheepish and sloppy smile, giving Plumeria a thumbs up.

"A...All good...~" she chirped in a half-whimper. Plumeria's brows raised up in shock at the strange reaction. Slowly, however, she warmed up to it as she smiled and rubbed Lillie's arm. "That's a good girl. Kick that pain's ass," she chuckled. Lillie giggled back, wiping the remaining tears from her face and sniffling with exhaustion. Plumeria decided to change the subject in order to help ease Lillie's pain, "So, tell me about yourself, princess."

"Huh?"

"Well? I wanna know what else need's fixin' in that little head of yours. Gotta unwind all the brainwashing your haggard mother put on ya, right?"

"...Well...I guess I could start...with my favorite pokémon."

"Do tell~..."

Lillie smiled. _So this is what having friends is like..._ she thought as she continued her long chat into the fading night with Plumeria.

\---

" _WHAT?_ "

Kukui beamed at the flabbergasted look stamped on his cousin's face. It was a look he loved to see in all kinds of young kids who came to Alola from other regions. Completely and utterly dumbfounded and mind blown. It was a treasure. "Yup! That's right! We don't have gyms _here_ , little cuz!" Moon felt like she was going to have a heart attack, "Wh-What about _badges_?!" Kukui shook his head, "Nnnope!" Moon ran a hand nervously through her hair. Had she woken up in an alternate reality this morning?

"B-But...I...d-do you guys even have an Elite _Four_?!"

"Not yet!"

"I can't believe this! This can't be happening! How do I- ...W-Wait. What did you say?"

"Not _yet_."

" _Yet_? S-So you're gonna _make_ one?!"

Kukui chuckled, holding up four fingers to the eager girl, turning her newfound excitement into more confusion. "Four islands! You have to take the Island Challenge and travel to all four islands in Alola to complete each of the Grand Trials! Each trial has a Captain, and when you take the _Grand_ Trials, you gotta face the island Kahunas!" Moon blinked, still seeming confused. Kukui continued, "As for an Elite Four...we don't have one right now. But we're currently building one on Ula'Ula!"

"So...let me get this straight. Instead of _gyms_ , I have to go take these trials and face the Captains. And when I face all the Captains on every island...I have to fight the Kahuna?" Moon repeated, slowly. Kukui nodded and gave her a thumbs up, winking at her as he grinned smugly, "Yup! That's right! And when you complete your last Grand Trial, well, _hopefully_ our Championship will finally be built! We're still deciding on who to pick for the Elite Four, though."

"Well...it _sounds_ cool enough, I guess. So I can just go right now?" Moon asked. Kukui shook his head, "Nope! Not yet! First things first. Here, this is for you." The professor handed Moon a strange looking charm that dangled on a tweed thread. She sneered at it, "What is it? It's kinda ugly..." Kukui laughed, "That's an Island Challenge Amulet! It's for the Captains the Kahunas to help identify who's a trial goer and who's not. You see, only kids your age and older can take it. So they wanna make sure nobody's sneaking into it unprepared."

"Oh...I see. That makes sense. S-So what's the _second_ thing?" Kukui re-adjusted his cap and headed for the front door, "The _second_ thing requires Hala. C'mon. Let's go give 'im and Hau a visit." Moon's eyes lit up in recognition at Hau's name. She had faintly wondered about how the boys she met not too long ago were holding up. Surely by now they had made up, or at the very least that blonde kid had healed up. And she was certainly curious to battle Hau. After all, he was the Kahuna's grandson.

He had to be something real special, right? She stepped forward, following after the professor eagerly, "Sure. I've kinda been meaning to talk to Hau anyways." Kukui seemed surprised she already knew him and raised a brow at her. "Oh, you already met him?" Moon just smiled mischievously as she passed the professor through the doorway he had opened for her, "You could say we kinda...ran into some trouble together the other day."

The rest of the way up to Iki Town, she merely teased at Kukui's rampant questions. He was the same as always, and while he _did_ annoy her at times...damn, was it satisfying to tug him along on that little doggy leash of his.


	11. Chapter 10 - Slip Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moon and Kukui make a sudden visit to Hau's home that the boys weren't expecting, as Guzma enacts his plan to hunt down Gladion and his Type:Null for Lusamine.

Gladion was sat across from Hau, staring down an array of pokéballs on the coffee table. Many of them had intricate designs on them. He couldn't help but wonder if it was to differentiate functions of some kind. That, or they were simply just for appearance's sake. After all, there were definitely young girls out there who were probably only interested in cutesy pokémon. He gave a sheepish frown just thinking about a small fairy-type pokémon being covered in ribbons and glitter by some optimistic trainer dressed in pink.

Hau smiled, giggling at the blonde's obvious confusion. "You have _no_ idea what any of these do, do you?" he asked. Gladion blushed and pouted again, glaring at Hau bitterly. This only made Hau's smile wider as he enjoyed Gladion's various pouting faces. The older boy sighed in defeat, "N-No. I don't. I've only ever seen a standard pokéball. Are these all specially made for specific pokémon or something?" Hau reached over the table and picked up a pokéball with an argyle pattern on it. He pointed to it, and Gladion watched carefully as he explained.

"This here is a _Net_ Ball. It's made to help trainers catch Bug and Water type pokémon more effectively. It can catch any other pokémon just fine, but it's _waaayyy_ more helpful for catching those ones in particular." Gladion's eyes lit up in understanding as he nodded, looking over the various balls once again. He picked up a shiny pink one and observed it carefully. "What's this one do?" Hau tilted his head for a moment, before recognizing the ball's design and piping up, "Oh! That's a Heal Ball. Normally when you catch a pokémon you have to rough it up a bit. This saves you the trouble of having to use health items after you catch it."

"And... _this_ one?"

"That's a Quick Ball. They're really effective if you use them as soon as you see a wild pokémon. You know, catch them off guard."

"What about this one?"

"Dusk Ball. It's for cave pokémon or catching pokémon at night."

"Hmmm..."

"See one you like yet?"

Gladion's eyes wandered to a particularly elegant looking black ball. He had only seen one like it before, a fact he didn't realize until he actually saw it on the table. He picked it up. The bar circling it's structure and leading to the button on the front was gold, and a red stripe was stretched across the top. He had remembered seeing his father with one of these once. It contained his favorite pokémon, as a matter of fact. A Komala he had lovingly named "Yuka". He looked up at Hau curiously, "I...think I recognize this one, actually. What's it called?"

Hau seemed surprised at this and looked over the ball once again. At first, he seemed to strain to think of it himself. It made Gladion wonder if he had just bought a bunch of random balls without asking about them. Then, once again, Hau gasped as he realized the answer he had been searching for. "Oh! That's right! The cashier told me! This is a Luxury Ball. They said it's something trainers buy for their favorite pokémon. It's supposed to be real special...it helps your bond with them get stronger."

Gladion blinked at this. The explanation gave him pause for thought about his Null. He certainly wanted to protect it, after all, he believed nobody should have to suffer like that. And it did help that he could relate all too easily with the pokémon's anger towards his mother. But what exactly did Null mean to him _besides_ that? The chimera had certainly gone out of it's way to protect him. It forced itself to pass out and protested his terrible plan to sneak out after all. And it seemed to constantly worry for his condition. Almost like...a _friend_ would. Hau's words from the night before echoed in his head.

_"Hey...you don't gotta worry about anything. We're...friends. Or at least..._ _ **I**_ _think you're a pretty cool friend."_

He rubbed at his left wrist under the table. It didn't seem all _that_ bad. In fact, up to this point, having a friend seemed like one of the best experiences of his life. And Null seemed to care about him a lot. Maybe it wouldn't mind allowing Gladion to care for it. Gladion nodded and held his hand out again, "Then...I'll use that one." Hau stared at him blankly for a moment, before smiling and handing the ball back to Gladion. Promptly, he scooped up the rest and put them back in his bag. Gladion stuffed the pokéball into the front pocket of his hoodie.

The two stood up and Hau nodded, "Right! Let's go get Null then. I'll help you-" A knock at the front door caught Hau off-guard. He didn't usually get visitors when he grand-father was away. And when he did, it was either Professor Burnet or... _Oh no_ he thought suddenly. He turned to Gladion and had a panicked look as he suddenly yelped, "Q-Quick! Get down!" Gladion wasted no time asking questions and hid behind one of the couches just as the door swung open. Sure enough, in stepped the ever-intrusive professor Kukui and...

" _Moon_? Man! It's been like forever! Howzit?" he greeted, darting forward to keep Kukui from traversing further inside. Moon placed her hand on her hip and smiled, "Not much. Just came to check up on you. See how-" She stopped herself. She strained to not mention the blonde boy in front of Kukui and tried again, "H-How...you're doing. You and your uhhh... _pokémon_ seemed to be on thin ice when I last saw you." Hau took the hint and answered back, trying his best to match her secrecy. "Oh...he's fine. He's feeling a _lot_ better. And uhhh...we made up."

Moon's smile became less strained at the news, though she was still sweating under Kukui's curious eyes, "That's good. But um...that's not the _only_ reason we came up here, I'm sure you're aware." Hau tilted his head curiously at her, "Oh? What else did you need? Is it urgent?" Moon turned her eyes towards Kukui, "I dunno. Ask him. He's the one who won't tell me why he dragged me up here." Kukui rubbed the back of his head and chuckled, "Sorry, cousin. Hau, is your grandpa around? I need to talk to him about a stone that Moon found the other day."

Hau's eyes lit up in recognition. He recalled his grandfather mentioning it previously. He was known for having to make Z-Rings out of the strange stones that the Tapus gifted to young trainers such as Moon or himself. He shook his head, "No, but, I think I know what it is you're talking about. I'll go get it. Stay right here. And uhh...don't sit on the couch. There's a spring loose or something like that." Moon's eyes drifted to the couch Hau's eyes were signaling for her to check. Sure enough, she saw Gladion crouched halfway under it nervously.

She nearly screeched at the boys for making things so difficult for her, but she restrained herself. Hesitantly, Hau ran into the back room and Moon turned to Kukui immediately. She had to keep his attention. "S-Sooo...Hau is Hala's grandson, eh? That must be _some_ pressure, huh?" Kukui frowned and crossed his arms, "Yeah, it is, actually. Though it's a lot of pressure on Hala too. You know, one time, when Hau was little, Hala got so angry he made a real scary face and Hau cried for _hours_. That's kinda why he goes so easy on him half the time. So he's a little...well, _perky_." Moon blinked in surprise at the answer she received. 

A new motivation drove her to continue this conversation. And she failed to notice the Pichu slip past her feet. " _That_ sounds really awkward. Though I guess _I_ would've been scared too if my parents ever made faces like that at that age. Speaking of which...where _are_ his parents?" Moon asked. Gladion listened in carefully, also failing to notice when the Pichu began for the bed room door to Hau's room behind him. "Oh, his mother still lives in Alola. But she lives a little ways away from here. I don't know anything about his dad since Hala doesn't really like to talk about it...but I'm guessing he either left or... _you know_ ," Kukui whispered cautiously. 

Gladion and Moon both could guess easily what he was implying. And they both held sympathy for the boy. After all...they knew how hard it was to lose their father as well. Suddenly, the creaking of the bed room door drew everyone's attention, even Gladion's, as they finally noticed the Pichu standing in the now open doorway. Null was in full view, standing up-right on the floor. It appeared to have just gotten up. Or if not, it had been pacing around. Regardless, everyone was caught completely frozen. Including the Pichu who stared curiously at the strange creature.

Moon drew in a sharp breath as she uttered a curse, " _Shit_..."

Kukui's eyes nearly bulged out of his head as soon as he saw the creature. It was like nothing he had ever seen in his research before. He was so fascinated by it he didn't notice Moon's change in demeanor. " _Woah_! I've never seen anything like that before! Since when did Hau have a chimera?!" he yelped in confusion. Gladion sighed loudly, and he hesitantly rose from his hiding spot, holding up his hands to convey he meant no ill-will. "He... _doesn't_. It's...mine," he explained in a nervous whisper. Kukui raised a brow at him suspiciously.

"And who might _you_ be?" he asked, seeming to either not recognize him under his hood or just plain not knowing who he was at all. Gladion hesitantly grabbed at his hood, but he didn't have the chance to reveal himself when Hau finally returned from his long venture. "Here it is, Kukui! I found i-" he froze. Moon smiled nervously, waving as she mustered a weak and fake laugh in a silent beg for forgiveness. Gladion simply stared at Hau, his eyes full of fear and uncertainty. He looked to him for guidance...even if he didn't speak it.

Hau's forced grin faded as he groaned in defeat. "Guess the jig is up, huh...? A-Alright. I-I can explain, Kukui. But you have to promise you won't tell anybody anything! Ok? This is _really_ important," he begged. Kukui thought about it for a moment, before nodding thoughtfully and putting his hands on his hips. 

"Alright...let's hear it. What's goin' on?"

\---

It was a sunny day. A perfect day for a proper lesson in battling. Unfortunately for Guzma, the girls stayed up far too late the night prior talking to each other. Of course, he understood why Plumeria did what she did. If Lillie wasn't going to sleep, well, what else was she to do? Read a book? Even Plumeria knew how ridiculous that sounded. Though he was a little annoyed with Plumeria for just piercing the girl's ear rawly like that. Even if Lillie _had_ wanted it. But it calmed him to hear she endured it with great vigor. She really _was_ a fighter.

Of course, eventually Lillie had fallen asleep. And neither of them were too comfortable letting her snooze off her pain in her normal sleeping quarters. So, even if the Golisopod protested it, she slept in Guzma's bed for the night. It was hard convincing the hard-headed pokémon to give up it's treasured spot, but all it took was a single stroke of it's ego. He simply just had to say he was entrusting it to guard Lillie's life with it's own, and it seemed more than pleased to do so. She rested peacefully the whole night and while it was clear day by now, still, she slept.

But he would let her off the hook for today. She couldn't help being so restless. He knew he was often unable to get himself to sink into the long darkness of slumber and as a result, he began using sleeping agents to keep from losing sleep. This of course just made things worse, and the dark circles around his eyes reflected this, as did his always messy hair. He never bothered brushing it and only really washed it once a month. He was a complete mess all-around, frankly. But it didn't matter to him in the slightest. It only served to amplify his intimidating appearance.

Today again, he sat on his torn up and bump-covered throne. He had beaten it up quite a bit the past few days to air out his frustration with Lusamine. He had decided on what had to be done, though. For now, he would start his search. He picked up his phone, texting Plumeria to round up the grunts in the main hall of the mansion. Once again, he reminded Golisopod to keep watch over Lillie as he stood up from his throne and made his way towards the staircase on the other side of the mansion.

He didn't have to wait long before Plumeria came in with a flood of grunts. She joined Guzma's side at the top, turning and raising her voice to grab the murmuring crowd's attention. "Hey! Listen up ya little goblins! The boss ain't gonna repeat himself...so pay attention!" The kids silenced themselves and Guzma gave them all a confident smirk. He crossed his arms, looking down on them from the stairs as he reveled in their adoring looks. "Alright, mooks! Open yer ears! I've got a _very_ important mission for all a youse."

They restrained their urge to mutter amongst themselves about this announcement so far. Instead, listening very carefully as they leaned in just a bit. "Recently, a little birdie told me about a certain kid who's got a rare pokémon under his boot heels. It's so powerful, you can't even see it's _face_! It's got a real crazy mask coverin' it up. I want youse to go lookin' for this kid, and bring me back that pokémon." The children couldn't help it anymore, the whispered in confusion amongst themselves until a boy in the front row raised up his hand.

"Uhhh, but how do we find these two, boss? We don't got no _idea_ what they look like! And it'll be even harder with that mask, right?" Guzma nodded at the question, "Excellent question, Boyd! But you don't gotta worry 'bout nothin'! Big bad Guzma's gotcha covered. Keep an eye on your cells. I'll be sendin' youse pictures that should help ya identify them _real_ easy. So get out there and start huntin'! Capiche?" The children all nodded and did the signature Skull Gang pose in salute. " _Capiche_!" they all repeated back in unison.

Guzma raised a brow and sneered, only just then remembering a very important detail. "Oh, and one _more_ thing," he began. The kids once again leaned in to hear his next words loud and clear. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, giving a stern glare as he issued his last order, " _Don't_ rub salt into the wound. Just put him down, take his pokémon, and come right back here. No further force is necessary. If I find out you stole more than the one off of him, I'll pound yer ass into the floor myself! Got it?" The children nodded, saluting again before shuffling out of the mansion.

He sighed in relief as soon as they were out of earshot, pulling out his phone once again and carefully selecting every contact to send the photos Lusamine had given him to. As soon as they were all selected, he hesitated. Plumeria caught this, and walked up to him. "Hey...you heard what princess said. He's just a coward. I mean, he did leave her, you know?" she reminded him in a poor attempt to comfort him. Guzma grunted, "Yeah, but she also said that crazy bitch broke his hand for fuck's sake. I've heard of a few psychos from these kids, but..."

"Hey, I'm _just_ saying...maybe this'll be a _good_ thing. Hell, she might even wanna help out."

"That's _not_ a good thing, Plum."

"Look, are you gonna do it or not?"

"I don't know! Look, I'm just...I need to think."

"You've had way too much time to think, Guz. Either you're gonna push that button or you're gonna delete those photos. Now which is it?"

Guzma glared down at the phone in his hand. He hadn't noticed, but his hand was now shaking just slightly from all the nerve that had been building up. He groaned, and pushed the send button as he shut his eyes tightly. Silence...then the device beeped with confirmation that the message had been sent successfully. He breathed deeply before flipping it shut again and stuffing it back in the pocket of his hoodie. Whether or not he agreed with it, wanted it, or even _thought_ about it...it was done.

He turned to Plumeria again and rubbed the back of his neck, "Princess is still sleepin'. I told Golisopod to keep watch over her. She's been really quiet so far." Plumeria nodded, seeming to appreciate the update. She rubbed her wrist nervously as she continued the conversation, "You know...you're a lot more easy on that girl than the other kids. What's got you playing favorites suddenly?" Guzma simply chuckled at the question. "What? Like you _ain't_ been? _You're_ the one that brought her to our doorstep, aren't ya?"

Plumeria blushed and gave a sheepish look, trying to glare but failing to look intimidating, "W-Well...I couldn't just _leave_ her there! She might've drowned or been sucked up by a Sandygast or something! I-I dunno!" Guzma chuckled again. By now, he knew exactly how and where to push Plumeria's buttons. He quite liked the adorable faces she made for him as a result. Even under all the unsightly make up, she still found a way to swell his heart. Perhaps when this whole ordeal was over he'd be able to work up the courage to talk to her about it.

"Well, if you _have_ to know...I guess I see a bit of myself in 'er. She's not like the other kids. The other kids just wanna stick it to the man, strength ain't what they're after. They all just wanna prove somethin'. Lillie wants to be strong enough to climb the ranks she's starin' up at from the bottom and over-throw 'em. And frankly, I like that look in her eyes. It's powerful shit," Guzma finally explained. Plumeria seemed surprised that Guzma admitted to this at all. Even if they were incredibly close, their friendship was rivaled only by the Golisopod upstairs.

"How cute. I'd bet you'd make an _interesting_ dad, you know..." Plumeria teased, sticking her tongue out at Guzma. Guzma's face turned red and he glared at her. It was her turn to gauge a satisfactory face from him. "W-What's _that_ supposed to mean?!" he pouted, shoving his hands in his pockets again. Plumeria simply giggled and eventually burst out laughing. This only prompted Guzma to become more annoyed as he desperately begged her to answer him as he tried to appear furious. Instead, he only appeared as a screeching man-child.

An image Plumeria personally favored for it's cute factor. Their moment was interrupted however when a familiar, timid voice rose from above them to their left. They turned their heads to the guard-rail by the door to Guzma's room. There Lillie stood, gripping onto the wooden structure as she stared down at them. She was fully awake, and she had that determined gleam that they both valued in her eyes once again. She nodded, leaning forward a bit as she raised her voice.

"Boss...I'm ready to train."

\---

Moon breathed in exasperation as she finally finished explaining her part in the messy situation. By now, they had all moved onto the couches, and Null was standing behind where Gladion had sat down, glaring cautiously at the good professor. Gladion's hood no longer obstructed his face, and he was keeping his hands in his lap to avoid the urge to hold Hau's. An urge that was troublingly becoming more and more hard to ignore. Moon sat on a small sofa at the peak of the two couches, and Kukui sat on his own across from the boys, save for the curled up Litten.

It was quiet for an entire five minutes, before Kukui finally spoke, "So...you said Hala knows about all this?" Hau nodded, "Y-Yeah. He's the one who suggested Gladion stay with us." Gladion picked up from this, mentioning a detail he had previously left out of his part of the story, "I haven't even told _Hala_ everything. But...i-it's for a good reason. I know you might not trust me, but if not for me, can you keep all this a secret for _Null's_ sake?" He turned his head to look at the chimera, reaching over the couch to give it a pat in an attempt to clam it's nerves.

"He's been through too much...I don't want something bad to happen to him again."

"Well...if Hala trusts you enough to keep it secret...then I guess I will too."

"Y-You mean it, professor?!" Hau yelped, shocked he accepted it so quickly.

Kukui nodded, "Yup. I don't wanna get anybody hurt here, either. _Least_ of all the pokémon."

Gladion sighed and smiled, "Thank you so much, professor. You have no idea what this means to me." Hau sighed and gave Gladion a sheepish look, "I-I'm real sorry, dude. He _always_ barges in like this, I _totally_ forgot. I should've warned you." Gladion shook his head, "N-No! It's...it's fine. Really. You couldn't have known he'd be here today. Besides...even if you _did_ know, we didn't have too much time to act." Kukui stood up, prompting Moon to do the same and in a domino effect, the boys as well. 

Gladion's leniency didn't go un-noticed despite Hau's attention being drawn to the professor again. He was almost certain he'd yell at him or the very least chide him. Maybe he was in a good mood today? Kukui pulled his thoughts away as he spoke up again with a grin, "Welp! Now that _that's_ over with...did ya get the Z-Ring, Hau?" Hau gapped, and dug through the pockets of his shorts to fish out a black ring with a strange design. At first glance, it looked like a watch, but it's base was strangely designed with a slot that looked about the same size and shape as Gladion's crystal.

Hau handed it over, watching eagerly as the professor passed it onto Moon who flipped it around to examine it. "A...Z-Ring? _That's_ what this is? What's it do?" Kukui ignored her question and waved his hand to prompt her to put it on, "Go on. Put it on your good hand. I'll walk you through it." Moon carefully slipped the ring onto her right wrist, surprised by how securely it fit onto it. She tapped on the base with her finger, "Is...it a watch?" Kukui shook his head and pulled out a crystal that looked nearly identical to Gladion's. 

However, it was pale white and the pattern engraved in it was vastly different. "This here is a Z-Crystal. When you have a Z-Ring, you put these little doo-hickies in that slot there and use them in battle with your pokémon! There's a Z-Crystal for every type, and there are even some special crystals made for specific pokémon!" he explained. Moon reached out to grab the crystal, but Kukui held it higher than her tiny arms were capable of reaching. She pouted at him, and he waved his finger patronizingly at her.

"Ah-Ah. You have to _earn_ them through those trials I told you about."

"But Tapu Koko gave _Gladion_ a freebie!"

"That _is_ strange... _but_ , to be fair, none of us know what that Z-Crystal is for so I _doubt_ they can use it. Don't be a sour puss, cuz."

Moon huffed, "Well, now that I have this ring... _now_ can I start my trials?" 

Kukui nodded, "Yup! Oh and...Hau."

Hau perked up curiously at the professor. He simply stared on as Kukui approached him and held out an amulet that looked exactly like the one dangling from Moon's bag. His eyes sparkled again in the same adoration and enjoyment Gladion could easily recognize. Hau looked up at the professor with a sheepish frown, "P-Professor? Are you sure? I-I mean I only _just_ started training!" Moon smiled at him, "Well...so did I. Besides, it'd be more fun to be up against the Kahuna's grandson during my adventure!"

Hau didn't hesitate to take the charm from the professor's hands, and nodded as he grinned wide. "Th-Thanks a lot, professor! Really! This is _so_ awesome!" Hau beamed, eagerly. Gladion couldn't help but smile as well. Kukui turned back to Moon as Hau attached the amulet to his bag. "Welp! Guess I better get going! I'll catch up with you kids later. And remember, Moon. Make sure you keep me updated on Rotom's progress!" Moon rolled her eyes and nodded, waving him off with an annoyed look on her face as he took his sweet time leaving.

As soon as the door shut behind him, all three kids sighed in exhaustion and relief. That was definitely a close call. Too close for comfort. Moon cheered up quickly, and turned to the boys with a smile, "So! How's it going? I...see you got a new _outfit_ , Gladion." Gladion blushed, covering his face with his hood and tugging on the strings to hide his embarrassment. She simply giggled and decided to instead focus her attention on Hau. "You said you just started training right? Even if that's the case...you must be _real_ strong, huh?"

Hau tilted his head at her curiously, "What do you mean?" She raised a brow at him in confusion, "Aren't you the Kahuna's grandson?" Hau's eyes lit up in recognition and he gapped again, "O-Oh! Right! N...Nah! Strength isn't really an inheritance. But one day I'll beat him for _sure_!" Moon smiled and giggled again, "Can't wait to see it. I'm sure it'll be real interesting." She frowned again, deciding finally to change the subject back to the obvious elephant in the room. During their talk with Kukui, there were a few interesting details that she definitely hadn't heard.

Like Gladion being on the run from the Aether Foundation, and crashing a boat right into Hau'oli beach. She had heard on the news about a clean up after a mysterious accident during a storm that happened not too long ago. But she never would've guessed these two were at the center of it. "So...you guys are under-cover, huh? Or at least, _blondie_ over here is. If that's the case...why'd you risk sneaking out by yourself exactly?" she asked, brow raised at Gladion. The older boy sighed and pulled down his hoodie, crossing his arms indignantly as he pouted.

"I _just_ wanted to see if Tapu Koko could help. I'm kind of on a time limit here. It's only a matter of time before they find me or they sniff too close for comfort like they did yesterday. I had to do _something_!" Moon suddenly had a thought as she turned back to Hau again, "Wait...you said your grandpa won't let him leave the house without _you_ no matter what. Won't he have to come with you on those trials?" Gladion shifted as Hau whispered a dejected, "O-Oh..." He hesitated, then decided to bite down as hard as he could into Hau's judgement.

"...I...I'll go with you. There's not that many people on Melemele that would recognize me or work for the Aether Foundation's President. And this disguise definitely helps," Gladion decided, gauging a grin from Hau that made Gladion blush. "R-Really?! You're _trusting_ me?" he asked, his eyes still sparkling with joy. Gladion turned his gaze away indignantly, pouting again, "D-Don't get ahead of yourself. It's just better than sitting around _here_ all day. Maybe these trials will help me find a back-up plan now that the Ferry Station is out."

"Seems logical to me," Moon added. "Well then, I guess I'll be seeing you boys on the outside. Take care of yourselves. And if I see any Aether Foundation lackies I'll send them somewhere less _inconvenient_ for you two." Without another word, she waved goodbye as she disappeared out the front door, leaving the boys alone with their pokémon. Pichu hobbled up to Hau's feet, and whined up at him curiously. Hau looked down and pouted at the Pichu, scooping it up and giving it a stern look, "You little brat! You almost got us in some _serious_ trouble, you know!"

Gladion chuckled, and Hau smiled at this. He quietly summoned the Pichu back into it's ball before turning to Gladion again, "C'mon. We should get your Null settled in it's new home so we can head out." Gladion shifted nervously again, and then nodded. He turned to Null, and beckoned it towards him. "We'll need a little more room than what's in here, so you guys can sneak out the side like you did before. We'll just head up to the bridge site and come back when we're done. Then we can make our way for Captain Ilima's trial grounds! If we're lucky, we can reach it today."

Gladion nodded, climbing onto Null's back and turning his head to look at Hau. "We'll see you there," he promised, before exiting out the side door swiftly and quietly. Hau called his Litten off the couch and to his feet, before heading out the front door to meet Gladion on the Mahalo Trail. This time, he was confident he could help Gladion, and he was all too eager as he jogged up the path to the bridge. His Litten tried not to fall behind as it trotted along beside him, curious of the commotion it's master was making.


	12. Chapter 11 - Our Journey Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guzma helps Lillie train to become a formidable grunt, while Gladion and Hau finally begin their journey around the island to take the Island Trials.

The blonde shifted nervously as he awaited his escort's arrival. He managed to calm his anxiety with a reasonable explanation for the wait. He had come here on the back of his Null, after all. Poor Hau, however, had to meet up on foot. But Gladion didn't want to offer him a spot behind him on the chimera's back. He had to keep his distance for the time being. Getting closer than he already was was dangerous. The wind was gentle this particular morning, and it kept his hair out of his face far better than a hair clip or tie would have.

Null had sat down by now and was watching it's master pace anxiously. It tilted it's head at the blonde and made a quiet noise to alert him to it's worry. Gladion's attention was turned back to his companion, and he pet it's head once again. "Sorry, Null, a-am I making you nervous? I just...I guess I've been thinking a lot is all," he explained, kneeling down on one knee to meet his companion's eyes properly. "You see...we're back here because I can't leave you by yourself during the day."

"I...I know you've spent most of your life in a cage. And I _hate_ to do this to you. But you should know what I plan on doing...it's only fair," he continued, pulling out the luxury ball from his hoodie and allowing Null to sniff it as inspection. He waited for the pokémon to finish it's assessment before he explained further. "This...is a pokéball. It's something humans use to capture pokémon. And it helps hide them in plain sight. You know the last thing I wanna do is put you through something like that again..."

"...But, if you'll trust me...I'd like for us to be partners from here on out," he proposed, staring deep into Null's unblinking eyes. It didn't look away from Gladion, but it didn't move either. If not for the subtle rising and falling of it's chest, Gladion might've been worried he wasn't breathing. Eventually, Null stood up, and Gladion followed his lead curiously. Suddenly, Null turned and began walking away from Gladion, and at first he was fearful he had angered or upset it.

But then it stopped, and turned back to face him. It huffed, before nodding it's head in approval. He didn't smile, but his eyes gleamed with understanding. He resisted the urge to cry from joy, but he was more than glad Null trusted him. The two looked up when none other than Hau's voice came up the Mahalo Trail to their position.

"Hey! Sorry I was so slow! Forgot how far a walk it is up here..." he chuckled, rubbing the back of his head nervously. Gladion simply shook his head and crossed his arms as he pouted, "Quit apologizing. It's not that big of a deal." Hau approached Gladion, smiling off his attitude. "So, are you ready? I-If you need a couple minutes to prepare yourself that's ok." The blonde shook his head, pulling the luxury ball back out once again, "N-No. I think...I'm ready to give it a try now. I'm- ... _we're_ ready."

Hau nodded, moving himself so not to be in Gladion's way but keeping close to him. He pointed at Null, putting his hand on Gladion's back as comfort, "So, it's very simple. All you have to do is throw it at the pokémon you wanna catch. N-Normally it's recomend you damage it a bit first, but-" Gladion turned to look at Hau, interrupting him suddenly, "What about if it's willing to be caught freely?" Hau blinked at the strange question. He scratched the back of his head thoughtfully.

"W...Well...in that case, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Is Null really ok with it?" Gladion nodded, and smiled gently. The blonde turned his head back to Null, and winded back his arm a bit, "You said I just have to throw it, right?" Hau nodded, "Yeah! It'll be real easy since Null is cooperating with it. Now, you wanna make sure you can time your aim and stuff like that. It's possible to throw it too far or not far enough." Gladion nodded, listening carefully to each of his instructions.

Hau was about to speak up again, but Gladion had suddenly tossed the ball towards Null. For whatever reason, it simply landed halfway and nothing happened. Null tilted it's head curiously at the boys and seemed as confused they were. Gladion blushed and stared down at his hand. "I...I could've sworn that was enough force," he muttered. Hau simply chuckled at the blonde and went to retrieve the ball, "You didn't let me finish, silly! I was about to say you should push the button on the front first."

To demonstrate, Hau pressed the button, and the ball miraculously grew larger in his hand. Gladion blushed more and looked down with shame, muttering an apology as Hau returned to his side. The younger boy placed the ball back into his hand and returned to his position behind Gladion, "Hey, don't sweat it. Now you know better, right? Let's try again. You should also know that when it first captures a pokémon, it usually wobbles at least three times before it clicks to let you know it worked."

Gladion nodded, waiting for Hau's signal this time before once again tossing the ball at Null. This time, he didn't miss. The ball snapped open and Null was consumed by a light before disappearing seemingly into thin air. It snapped shut once again and landed on the ground with a light thud. The boys watched anxiously as it wobbled, each time bobbing less violently. The smile that spread across Gladion's face when it emitting a satisfying click had Hau speechless.

The blonde ran up to the ball and picked it up, holding it close to his chest as he sighed in relief. He was a little ways away, so it was hard to hear his whispers, but somehow, Hau caught them. "I promise...I'll keep you safe. Thank you for trusting me, buddy." Hau smiled and caught up with Gladion, beaming eagerly, "See? I knew you could do it!" Gladion turned to Hau, still smiling. Hau had the thought that perhaps he didn't even realize he was grinning right now.

"Hau! Thank you...you have no idea how much this means to me," he praised. Hau blushed a bit, but thankfully, the blonde hadn't noticed. He waved off the older boy's thanks and simply chuckled, "Nah, it's no big deal. It's what friends do." Gladion placed the ball back into his hoodie pocket, his grin faltering at Hau's humble response. _Friends_. It was a troublesome word. If they were friends, that might Hau a chip. A chip his mother would likely turn on him at any moment.

He couldn't reciprocate this...but he had to cooperate at least halfway. Hau nodded, pumping his fist in excitement, "Right! Let's get going! I wanna reach Ilima's trial! It's a really long trip to get there, so if we leave now we can get there before it gets too dark." Gladion nodded, following Hau's lead down the Mahalo trail once more. However, just briefly, he stopped at the top and glanced back at the still-broken bridge. Hand still in his pocket, he squeezed the luxury ball gently.

_Null...whatever happens now, I_ _**won't**_ _let those sick bastards touch you again. I promise..._ he thought, turning and answering Hau's confused calls, in a hurry to catch up with his escort.

\---

Lillie was stood across from her boss once again in offense. A few grunts had gathered around to watch them duke it out, though most had shuffled out of Po Town to carry out Guzma's orders. Plumeria had taken a seat beside a female grunt a top one of their pick-up trucks and was stroking her beloved Salandit that rested in her lap. Golisopod was sat behind it's master, watching with a full view and a pile of snacks for it's show. Lillie nodded, tossing forth her pokéball to summon her Lillipup. Guzma responded by calling out his Masquerain once again.

"Ready to lose, princess?" Guzma sneered. Lillie gave him a determined glare, answering with newfound confidence, "No. I'm ready to _win_." Her Lillipup barked with anticipation as it's master pointed at the pokemon before them. "Lillipup! Use bite!" she commanded. Lillipup charged towards Guzma's Masquerain, but was caught off guard as it flashed it's intimidating eyespots. A moment of hesitation made it's attack much less damaging, and in the end it had barely made a dent as it bit down.

"Masquerain! Air Slash!"

Masquerain knocked the Lillipup off, slicing into the air to create shockwaves that damaged the puppy significantly. Luckily, the pup had landed safely on it's feet, left with only a single scratch. Lillie knew the power gap was too great. But she had prepared for this. "Baby-Doll Eyes!" she commanded. The pup mustered up it's most pitiful look at the Masquerain, and it became visibly uncomfortable under the pup's gaze. Guzma pouted, "Cuteness...always the weakness of even the toughest brutes."

Lillie smirked, "Does that include _you_ , Boss?" Guzma returned her smirk with one of her own, "Nice try! But you'll have to do better than that to try and get me to go easy on ya! Masquerain! Use Icy Wind!" The Masquerain complied, blowing a strangely freezing wind in the pup's direction. Again, the Lillipup was knocked back and suffered damage. This time, a few more bruises came about from the attack and Lillie tensed.

_Lowering the power gap is going to mean nothing if I don't make some headway! I gotta think of something, quick!_ Lillie panicked, internally. Lillie nearly bit her thumbnail, but then an idea came to her. It was risky, it was reckless...but it just might work. Guzma could see the gears turning in her head, and raised a brow when she pointed her finger at his Masquerain once again. What on Earth could she be planning?

"Lillipup...?"

"Arf!"

"...Use Take Down."

Guzma raised his brow even higher at this. "You sure you wanna do that, princess? Yer Lillipup is already takin' a beatin'. Yer just makin' _my_ job all the more easier." Lillie kept her gaze locked on Guzma, her expression determined and confident as ever, "Am I, Boss? Or maybe you underestimate me." Before he could retort, the Lillipup ran full speed straight for the Masquerain, jumping up, it slammed into the insect at full force, temporarily knocking it down from the air.

The pup rolled aside as they hit the ground, the impact leaving it even more damaged than it already was. But it wouldn't give up yet. It stood back up, barking at the fallen Masquerain to challenge it further. The Masquerain slowly got back up, flittering into the air once more. But it was significantly bruised and scratched up, nearly meeting the amount of damage the pup had suffered. Guzma smirked and chuckled, "Shit, kid! You're fuckin' crazy! I like it..."

Lillie smiled back at him, crossing her arms confidently, "Don't let your guard down there, Boss! This isn't over _yet_." Guzma nodded, "Right you are, princess!" He pointed at the pup once again, "Let's give it one last shot, Masquerain! Air Slash!" Lillie drew forth the attention of her Lillipup as she yelled out her last command, "Lillipup! Tackle!" The pup began charging once again at the Masquerain, as the insect prepared it's attack by flapping furiously into the wind.

Once again, shockwaves had been sent flying towards the pup. However, in a miraculous movement of speed and adrenaline, the Lillipup managed to dodge it by just a hair. It leaped upwards and tackled the Masquerain back into the pavement, putting it out of commission. Both Guzma and his grunts were frozen with shock as they stared at the Masquerain, it's eyes swirled with dizziness and exhaustion. Lillie had won.

Lillie couldn't help her grin, and she cheered as her Lillipup leaped up into her arms for a hug. "We did it! We really did it!" she shouted, gleefully. Guzma called back his Masquerain, tossing the ball to one of his grunts, "Put it through the machine at the Pokémon Center. I'll come by to pick it up later." The grunt nodded and darted off towards the hospice facility just down the road. Guzma approached Lillie slowly, his Golisopod following close behind.

"Son of a bitch, you really got me, Princess. Nice work," he praised. Lillie composed herself and cleared her throat, her Lillipup hopped down onto the stone pavement again to rest. She blushed a bit and pouted, "W-Well...it was totally easy!" Guzma just laughed and pat her head. However, both of their attentions were stolen away as a bright light emitted off the ground where her Lillipup had landed. Lillie gasped to find it had been consumed by it and it's form began to shift.

Eventually, the light faded, and her once tiny and precious pup had turned into a scruff, small dog. It's facial hair had extended, giving it grouchy eyebrows and a bushy mustache. "Oh my Arceus...! Lillipup...you've evolved!" The dog barked playfully, wagging it's tail. It's once high-pitched yip had become a lower, growlier, and more commanding tone. She pet it proudly and gave it nearly infinite praises in a sing-song voice.

"Well I'll be damned, it's turned into a Herdier! Congrats, kiddo," Guzma praised. Lillie didn't bother to try composing herself again, simply standing up and turning to face Guzma before bowing her head respectfully. "Th...Thank you, S-...B-Boss! I'll keep being the strongest I possibly can!" she shouted, enthusiastically. Guzma just pat her head again and huffed, embarrassed, "Geez, Princess. We gotta work on that whole 'intimidating aura' thing with you. Yer gonna ruffle our whole gimmick, y'know."

She stood up straight again and frowned nervously, "S-Sorry, Boss. I'll work on it!" Guzma simply smiled and winked at her, "Yeah...I know you will."

\---

The walk through Hau'oli took the boys about an hour, perhaps more. They had briefly stopped at the Pokémon Center again, Hau stating he had to stock up on medicine just in case. This prompted the blonde to tease his younger friend for being "paranoid". Like most of Gladion's pouting, complaining, and verbal jabs, Hau simply shrugged it off with a laugh. This time, Gladion didn't bother with the café and it didn't go un-noticed. Shortly after Hau finished his purchases, he pulled out a small bottle from his bag.

At first the blonde was confused, until Hau explained that he had prepared some tea in portable containers for Gladion since he knew he didn't like the café's tea all that much. Gladion blushed, but simply took the bottle with great gratitude and thanked Hau quietly. Now, they had just passed through the gates to Route 2. Gladion's tea bottle was only a quarter empty. It didn't take long before they found some tall grass, though, something was _unusual_ about it. Something was bobbing in the grass rampantly.

They noticed an elder man standing nearby, and Hau tapped him on the shoulder, successfully earning the man's attention. "Uhh, excuse me? Why's the grass making so much noise?" he asked. The blonde tugged on his hoodie strings to hide his face from embarrassment at the question. "Oh, that? Well that ain't the grass causin' all that ruckus, son. It could be any pokémon but if I had to guess I'd say it's an Ekans rollin' around in there. Sometimes the wild pokémon are uhhh... _antsy_."

"Is that a bad thing?" Gladion asked. The old man simply laughed, "Not for anybody lookin' to catch it, it's not! Soon as ya step in there it'll come barrelin' right for ya, so ya better have a pokémon out an' ready for it!" Hau grinned, turning to Gladion as if asking for permission like a child begging their parent for a new toy. It amazed Gladion just how much Hau felt his approval was necessary, though, he supposed that did make sense. He nodded, "Just be careful. If you get hurt I'm not gonna carry you back to the house."

Both of them knew that was a complete lie, but Hau didn't acknowledge it, "Awesome! This is gonna be so cool!" Before Gladion could say anything more, Hau darted into the grass with his Litten. Admittedly, he was left anxious beside the old man. Though his grip on the luxury ball provided minimal but significant comfort as he waited. Ten minutes passed before Hau came back out with his Litten. Both of them were scratched up fairly badly, but Hau was grinning as he was when he entered.

"Awww man...it got away!" The blonde immediately jumped on Hau to check his wounds, and sighed impatiently, "Hau, what'd I say? Don't you ever listen?" Hau stuck out his tongue and beamed playfully, "Nope~!" Hau kneeled down to treat Litten's wounds as Gladion noticed the old man had disappeared. He concluded that he had been so caught up in Hau's well-being he didn't notice him leave. _I gotta stop that..._ Gladion thought, his attention caught when Hau stood back up again.

"Sorry about that, Hanini. Let's keep going. I think there's a Berry Farm up ahead," Hau stated, pointing at the uphill path. Gladion rolled his eyes and followed the young boy up the hill. When they made it to the top, they found they had arrived in a small settlement area of some sort. In plain view on the left was a motel, and on the right was a little house. Hau noticed a branching path beside them to their right as well, and grabbed Gladion's right hand, pointing to it.

"Dude! Check it out! There's like...a secret pathway or something!" The blonde blushed and pouted under his hoodie, "We can't keep taking detours you know, we won't be able to get home after your trial." Hau turned to Gladion again and nodded, "That's ok! We can rent out a room at one of the motels! I have plenty of money." Gladion blinked at the suggestion. Not that he was opposed to it, but most motels didn't have much more than a single bed room. And he heard from his mother before as a young child that motels usually were only used for...

"I-Isn't that a little... _unsanitary_?" he whined, his face flushing a bit. Hau titled his head curiously. _Wait...what the hell am I doing? Of course he doesn't know anything about that!_ Gladion screamed internally. The blonde waved off his previous statement, tugging on one of his strings again, "N...Nevermind. That's fine, I guess." Hau smiled and began tugging Gladion onto the path eagerly, Gladion just reluctantly following as he had an inner battle deciding whether or not to let go of Hau's hand. Halfway out the path, they stopped dead in their tracks.

To their complete discomfort and horror, they had walked right into a cemetery. A few people were around, paying their respects, few of them accompanied by ghost-type pokémon. Hau blushed, "O-Oh..." Suddenly, the blonde pulled away from Hau and stopped in front of a gravestone. Hau hesitated, before following and checking on his companion. "Hanini? Is...everything ok?" Gladion turned to look at Hau, his eyes bulging from surprise before calming himself swiftly. "S...Sorry. It's just..." he hesitated, "I-I shouldn't tell you, it's not your problem..."

Hau grabbed his arm, staring up at him with pleading eyes, "N-No! You can tell me. I promise I'll keep my lips sealed." The older boy was beyond unable to refuse the boy at this point, though he still had some restraint. He sighed, stuffing his hands in his hoodie pocket. "When I was really little...I lost my dad in a freak accident. He was _supposed_ to be buried here...on his home island. It was one of the only things he ever asked of-" he stopped himself. There was no way he would mention his mother to him. That by itself was dangerous.

"Oh...I-I'm sorry. It's my fault, I shouldn't have dragged us up here," Hau apologized, looking dejected. "N-No! It...it's fine. You were just curious is all. Besides...I'm long over it. I just...can't help but think about things like that sometimes," Gladion explained, scratching his cheek nervously. This seemed to ease Hau's mind, but he wasn't smiling anymore. He hadn't been since they stepped inside. Perhaps Gladion should've been more stern. He didn't know. He didn't even have time to think about it before Hau started speaking again.

"You know...I've never lost someone to death before," he started. He seemed to be thinking, and Gladion couldn't help but worry about what was about to come next. "The people in my home think I can't hear them constantly whispering. Gossip is just normal in any small town. Especially mine. I don't know if tutu has heard any of it, but..." he hesitated. "They keep talking about how he'll probably die soon." Gladion's eyes widened at this. Sure, Hala was certainly old, but he seemed more than perfectly healthy for his age.

_What the hell is wrong with them?_ Gladion thought in disgust. He offered Hau a sympathetic stare as he rubbed his arm, "Hau..." Hau turned to look at him. The blonde was shocked yet again when Hau suddenly smiled sadly, "No...it's ok. It doesn't bother me nearly as much anymore. And...in a way, they're right. One day he'll be gone. And someone will have to take his place." Gladion tilted his head curiously at Hau, "But...won't you miss him?"

"O-Of course I will! And it's going to be hard when he _does_ go..."

"You don't have to be strong, Hau."

"I know. I want to be. Besides...this just means I have to work twice as hard to take his place."

"You...want to be a Kahuna?"

"Yeah! I've always admired my tutu, and I think being a Kahuna is like...even _cooler_ than being a Champion!"

Gladion mustered a weak smile, admiring Hau's determination greatly. "Well...if I'm lucky I'll be here to see it come to fruition. I'm sure you'll make a great Kahuna someday, Hau." Hau blushed and rubbed the back of his head, chuckling nervously, "Y-You think so, huh? Thanks, Hanini. Whatever _you_ wanna be when you're older...I'm sure you'll be good at that too!" The compliment gave Gladion another pause for thought. _Whatever I wanna be, huh?_ he pondered. He had only just realized he had utterly no clue.

His only plans recently were to run far away to another region. But even if his plan went his way...what then? Where would he go? Could he even train? Perhaps he'd spend the rest of his life living out of a box. Though being a pokémon trainer was a very profitable hobby. Hau was a skilled trainer, but Gladion never quite considered before ever being one like he was. He didn't even have a dream as a young lad. Everything was laid out by his mother. His entire life was planned _for_ him like some sort of school schedule.

_I suppose traveling with Hau might just give me an answer_ he concluded, nodding at Hau and offering another smile. "C'mon...let's keep going. You wanna reach Captain Ilima before dark, right?" Hau's eyes lit up in recognition, and he turned and began darting back down the path as he yelled back at the blonde, "R-Right! C'mon, let's go!" Gladion simply shook his head and followed quickly after the younger boy. It was going to be a long day yet, but a part of Gladion began to not mind Hau's company so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Author here, again! Sorry for the sudden and loooonnnnng hiatus. 
> 
> Long story short I got _really_ sick for a week, and then school started becoming more and more of a hassle. But I'm afraid I can't update daily anymore for multiple work-related reasons. 
> 
> Rest assured, though. This is definitely _not_ cancelled. Do not worry. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I'm new to writing pokémon battles so I hope it didn't totally suck lmao.


	13. Chapter 12 - I'll Meet You At The Finish Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion and Hau continue their journey up Route 2 to reach Captain Ilima's Trial, and they become a little closer than they were before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to reward you guys a little for what a long wait you suffered, enjoy this 100% pure cuteboneshipping centered chapter. More to come soon, promise.

Gladion walked at a careful pace, trying not to draw any attention to himself. His hands were stuffed in the front pocket of his hoodie, and his bangs and hood were working in tandem to cover his face. Hau was simply squirming impatiently ahead of him, no longer able to just grab Gladion's hand and speed up the process. "C'mooon, Hanini! I wanna check out the farm before we head up to the trial!" he whined. Gladion just rolled his eyes at the impatient boy. Eventually, he caught up to him, and they began walking together at nearly the same pace.

" _You're_ the one that keeps taking detours everywhere. We'd be there faster if you quit all the sight-seeing," Gladion pouted. 

Hau simply grinned sheepishly, "But the best part _about_ the Trials is being able to explore! There's so many cool and exciting places I've always wanted to see!"

"A Berry Farm is exciting?"

"It _can_ be!"

"Riiight. A Berry Farm is just _too_ exciting to skip for a trial."

"See? You're warming up to it already!"

The blonde resisted the urge to slap his palm against his face for fear Hau might take the opportunity to grab it. Instead, he gave Hau a quizzical look, narrowing his eyes at him carefully. Hau just chuckled nervously under the older boy's gaze, putting his hands behind his head out of habit. Eventually, they reached the white picket-fence that bordered the rural looking abode and it's garden. As small as the estate was, it was quite a breath-taking sight as well. As soon as they entered, they were greeted by an elderly man and a Delibird.

"Oh! Hello there, young lads!" he said, waving with a smile.

"Alola! Howzit?" Hau greeted, waving back as he put his hand up. Gladion mumbled a weak greeting, ironically catching the old man's attention rather than steering it off. However, the old man noticed Hau's amulet before he could think of anything to say. "Oh, I see you're a trial-goer. You must be here to get some berries for your pokémon, right?" he guessed. Hau stared back blankly, and blinked, "Oh, uh, I guess. I don't know too much about berries, actually. They're just _really_ tasty!"

"They're much more than that, m'boy. You know, certain berries can actually do quite a lot of good for your pokémon in battle," he explained. Gladion raised a brow at this. Just like Hau, he was inexperienced about berries other than their taste. He knew that pokémon were incredibly fond of them, but he assumed that was mostly because they were naturally wild animals. Any additional benefits to them other than a source of food were never a possibility he had considered before. Cautiously, he stepped forward, "Is that so? How's that?"

"So you _can_ speak English!" The old man jabbed with a chuckle, before continuing, "Well, take this here Pecha Berry for example." He held up a pink and bumpy looking fruit, one that Gladion instantly recognized as one of Lillie's favorites. "These things hail from Hoenn, and if your pokémon ever suffers poisoning this'll fix 'em right up!" Stars sparkled in Hau's eyes as he grinned, "Wooow! Cool! It can really do that? What can the other berries do? Can they help pokémon evolve?"

 _Another endless slew of questions..._ Gladion thought, rolling his eyes. The blonde grabbed Hau's arm hesitantly and pouted, "Hey, don't start with that. We'll be here all day if you start interrogating him." Hau blushed at the sudden contact, but also from embarrassment at his habit. He chuckled nervously and quickly pulled away from Gladion, "Hehehe! S-Sorry, Hanini! I'm just really curious is all!" Gladion grumbled under his breath, putting his free hand back in his pocket, " _Too curious for your own good, I'd say..._ "

The old man chuckled again, "Well, how's about you boys just take some of the extras I've got layin' around right here? Usually this tree is for my own pokémon to snack on, but you can take a few if you'd like. Here." Hau blinked as the old man placed the Pecha berry in his hands. He smiled and nodded at him gratefully, "Wow! Thanks, sir!" The old man waved off the thanks as he smiled back, "Don't mention it. I've got to get back to work now, but you boys be careful now, y'hear? Good luck on your trials!"

Gladion watched as the old man departed into his fields of crops, not bothering to stop Hau from grabbing as many unique berries as he could find from the pile on the ground. When he looked back at Hau, he noticed his bag was almost flooding with them and he nearly spit in shock. " _Hau_! For Arceus sake! Be a little sparing! You don't need all those!" he scolded. Hau pouted, and made a face that Gladion couldn't help but compare to a Lillipup, "Awwww! C'mon, Hanini. Can't you at least carry some?"

"I don't have a bag, Hau. There's barely any space in my pockets as it is. Put some back. You can take 3 but that's it," Gladion commanded sternly. Hau sighed and emptied his bag of all but 3 extra berries and the Pecha berry he received before he stood back up again. The boys made their way out, traversing up the path to Ilima's Trial Grounds with haste. The blonde was only a little anxious at the abundance of tall grass that stood between them and their destination, but Hau offered quick assurance, as he always did.

"Don't worry, Hanini. Litten and Pichu will keep us safe, remember?"

 _It's you I'm worried about..._ Gladion thought.

"R...Right. I know."

Somehow, Gladion hadn't notice his had subconsciously entwine itself with Hau's. However, he realized this as soon as he was pulled forward by him into the grass. Once again, he squeezed Hau's hand nervously, keeping his eyes down so he didn't have to meet Hau's. The younger boy smiled reassuringly, despite not being seen, and kept his grip on Gladion's hand to make sure he didn't go uncomforted. Suddenly, the atmosphere broke into panic and adrenaline as a small, black, and rat-like creature hopped out of the grass towards Hau.

With incredible speed, his Litten blocked the attack, charging forward and scratching the small creature as it's claws extended. The pokémon tumbled backwards with a cry of pain. However, it stood back up, growling in challenge at the Litten. The Litten hissed back in warning, before dodging a tackle attack that sent the pokémon barreling itself right into a rock. With this, it's eyes swirled and it fell flat onto it's back. Litten huffed and licked itself impatiently, miffed that it got it's coat scuffed in the encounter from all the dirt that was kicked around.

Hau's hand hurt with the grip Gladion had on it, and he didn't have to look to know that he was incredibly uneasy and frozen in place. Hau looked over the unconscious pokémon before turning his gaze ahead again, "It's ok, Hanini. I'm alright. You don't have to worry about me, I'll be fine." Somehow, these words snapped the blonde out of his trance and he loosened his grip only just a little. Carefully, they continued forward, as Litten kept on swishing it's tail in anticipation and irritation.

It's kind were usually prideful, though not nearly comparable to some Lycanrocs, whom valued their manes as if they were their soul mates. Nonetheless, prideful. As much as it craved battle, it absolutely hated getting it's coat filthy. It left it's eye twitching from anger. Luckily for it, however, another punching bag for it's frustrations leapt out of the grass. The boys had unluckily found a rustling lump in the grass yet again, and this time a chubby and heavy pokémon charged in for the attack.

Hau was prepared this time, though, "Litten! use ember!" The Litten didn't hesitate to spit one of it's flaming hairballs at the stuffy pokémon, knocking it back but not down. Hau and Litten both were left surprised by this, as slowly the pokémon looked up. It suddenly took in a deep breath, and both Litten and Hau could feel it's energy increasing. Hau wouldn't let it get far, though. "Litten! Scratch!" he commanded. Litten's claws grew out as it gave the pokémon a hateful glare. He charged forward, and landed a hit directly on it's face.

"Ma!" the pokémon cried as it covered it's eyes. Gladion's fear was overtaken by his curiosity as he suddenly spoke up, "It's so strong...what pokémon is that?" Hau pondered that for a moment before he suddenly remembered, "Oh yeah! This must be Makuhita! It must have the ability Thick Fat! No wonder Litten's ember barely made a dent!" The Makuhita took it's hands away from it's face and glared harshly at the Litten. Without warning, it began thrusting it's small stubby arms at the Litten and knocking it down. It landed two hits before jumping backwards.

"Litten! Are you ok?!" Hau cried worriedly. Litten was severely scratched up and bruised, but it slowly stood back up, one eye still shut from the pain. "Mrow!" it barked, still not ready to give up just yet. Hau smiled, "Just hang in there, buddy." Once again he turned to face the Makuhita who was now bumping it's fists together as it huffed. However, Gladion noticed something. "Hau, look. It's scratched up pretty bad. If you can land one more hit that's powerful enough, it should knock it out," he pointed out as he pointed with his other hand.

"You're right. I just gotta land a critical..." he looked to his battered Litten tensely. _But...can I do it?_ he wondered. The Litten barked in anticipation once again, before turning it's head to look it's trainer in the eye. Somehow, someway, Hau could feel the Litten sharing in his sentiments. He nodded, and the Litten copied his movement before turning it's attention back towards the hostile pokémon. A confident smirk rose to Hau's cheeks as he pointed at the Makuhita, "Alright, let's give it all we've got! Litten, use scratch!"

It's hairs stood on end as it hissed, it's claws growing out, only slightly longer than the last two times it had before. The Makuhita could feel it's dark and rage-filled aura and it's confidence began to falter as it took a step back. The Litten cried out as it darted forward, scratching the Makuhita across the belly and knocking it onto it's back before jumping back. It fell with a great crash and it remained still. It took a good minute before they all worked up the courage to approach it and check to see if it had indeed fainted.

It's swirled eyes and low groaning voice gave the answer they had all hoped for. Gladion and Hau both shared a sigh of relief, while Litten collapsed tiredly onto the ground. Hau scooped up the cute critter with his free arm, chuckling half nervously. "Sorry about that, Litten. We were really pushing it that time, huh?" he apologized. The Litten simply huffed at him and stared up at him with the same dis-interested expression it normally wore. Gladion couldn't help but smile in amusement, and it slowly became a smirk, "I think he's starting to grow on me."

"Gee, Hanini, I'm flattered," Hau feigned with a strained smirk. Regardless of the subtle poke at his ego, Hau continued onward, keeping his Litten and Gladion both comfortable and safe in his arms. Eventually, they reached the summit and were lucky to find they had walked right up to a Pokémon Center. They sighed in relief again and quickly shuffled inside, Hau putting Litten back into it's ball so the nurse could put it through the machine behind her to heal. Hesitantly, the boys let loose on each other's hands, keeping their blushes hidden from each other.

The blonde decided to take comfort instead in Hau's tea as he took out the bottle and sipped from it. Instantly, his shot nerves were completely relaxed like magic. It still amazed Gladion how it worked wonders for his anxiety, but he didn't question it. Hau beamed when the nurse handed him back his pokéball, and immediately he called the Litten back out. It was licking itself, still unsatisfied with the cleanliness of it's coat. Hau kneeled down and held out a pokébean, "Here you go, buddy. You earned it. Sorry your coat got all dirty."

The Litten sniffed at the treat before taking a careful bite into it. Immediately, it's hairs stood on end with pleasure and it dug into the pokébean in 3 more bites. It purred with satisfaction, and Hau took the opportunity to scratch it's chin. It's normally posh and stand-offish attitude had completely melted and was replaced with a purring baby. He continued petting it for a minute or two before standing back up to address his travel companion. Though, this didn't stop the Litten from nuzzling it's master's ankles lovingly.

"Alright! It's time for my very first trial! Come on, Hanini," Hau beckoned, stepping towards the front door of the Pokémon Center. Before Gladion could retort or even move, the doors swung open and in stepped none other than Moon with her Popplio. As she approached them, it waddled beside her cheerfully, immediately greeting it's old comrade as the Litten kept it's stance and sniffed at it carefully. It's not that it didn't recognize it, but it was still sensitive about it's coat and it knew well that Popplio was often the source of wetness.

"Well well well, if it isn't angst central and my favorite cheerleader! Alola, boys! Glad you finally caught up!" she bragged, her air of confidence nearly infectious. Hau waved and grinned widely, "Moon! Alola! Howzit?" Gladion's face turned red at the jab and he pouted at her, "Freakin' brat." Moon giggled, more than satisfied by Gladion's reaction. She turned her gaze down to the two pokémon who were now communicating each other's adventures through barks and meows. "I just finished Captain Ilima's trial, so I came here to heal up my team."

Hau and Gladion both couldn't help but be rife with shock as their eyes widened, and Hau jumped in surprise, "R-REALLY?! _ALREADY_?! Geez, you're fast!" Moon smiled a snide smile and nodded, feigning humbleness as she rested her knuckles on her hips, "Yup! It was a piece of cake!" Gladion's shock melted into complete blankness as all his emotion retreated into the recesses of his mind. His tone reflected this as well as he spoke, "She's truly...in her prime." Hau's shock instead was replaced with excitement as he beamed.

"Well, that just means I have to catch up! I'll go toe-to-toe with you, yet!" Hau declared, confidently. Just then, a familiar red bobbing creature popped out of Moon's purse and piped into the conversation, "ALOLA, FRIENDS! Zzt!" Moon pouted and glared at him, "Rotom! Don't be so loud! You trying to upstage Hau or something?" Rotom sunk, his metaphorical tail between his legs as he put his outstretched limbs over his screen where his mouth was simulated, "Oh...! Sorry..."

Gladion observed the Rotom as it floated around him and Hau, his blank expression only somewhat giving off a sense of curiosity, "Oh, yeah...I've been meaning to ask. What _is_ this thing? You called it a Rotom...but it looks like a pokédex." Hau stared at Rotom as he moved as well, his curious look almost matching Gladion's to a T. "Oh, yeah...and the Professor mentioned you reporting on it's progress or something. What's that mean? Is it some kind of assignment he's got you working on while you travel?" he asked.

Moon huffed and crossed her arms indignantly, "Yup. Kukui wants me to report how well this thing is doing and how full his database is. It's basically a pokédex that's being possessed by a Rotom. A... _Rotomdex_ , I guess. But I just call him Rotom." The Rotom floated down gently into Gladion's hands and began displaying the pokémon it had registered so far as it began speaking again. "That's right! I can identify any pokémon that Moon catches or runs into! Pretty cool, right?" Hau stared starry-eyed at the screen as all sorts of colorful and unique pokémon popped up.

"Wow...! I'm so jealous! It sounds so awesome! I wish _my_ pokémon could talk," he whined. Hau's eyes widened and suddenly he picked up his Litten, staring curiously, "Or _can_ you talk?" The Litten gave him an unamused look and replied with an unenthused, "Meow." Hau just chuckled and put him back down on the floor with his companion. "Welp, we best get going. Alola, Moon! It was nice bumping into you again! Good luck with my grandpa! He's real tough!" Hau said, heading out the front door with his Litten and Gladion again.

Moon turned and was about to say something but they had already went out the door. She sighed and shook her head. She looked down at her Popplio, who was still beaming from catching up with it's friend. She pat it's head, holding up it's ball to call it back, "C'mon. Let's get you healed up. You did great in there." Popplio clapped and barked with excitement as the light from the pokéball engulfed her an the ball snapped shut. Rotom floated off, taking pictures of all the other pokémon hanging around the shop and the café as Moon approached the front desk.

\---

The boys exited the Pokémon Center, one eager and the other becoming more and more tired from all the excitement of the day's events. Immediately, Hau spotted the entrance to Ilima's Trial grounds and pointed excitedly, grabbing onto Gladion's hand again to pull him forward, "Hanini, look! There it is! Let's go!" Gladion didn't even bother to tell Hau to slow down as he darted forward, dragging the blonde with him as his Litten bounded ahead of them both. Hau only slowed to a stop when he reached the entrance, his hand still keeping a grip on Gladion's.

The older boy was about to ask what the sudden hold up was as he reached to put his fallen hood back up, but a tall figure emerged from the dark cave-like entrance. He wore a trendy-looking but plain vest with plaid coloring and diamond-like patterns scattered about, and white khakis with surprisingly stylish looking sneakers. Wrapped around his left hand was a strange looking glove that didn't cover much beside his knuckles, and his nearly platinum hair was styled carefully with a small ponytail held up by a strange looking charm.

He had a fem-boyish demeanor and a grin that almost challenged Hau's if it weren't so docile and relaxed. He greeted the boys with overwhelming charm, "Greetings, Captain Ilima here." Hau beamed immediately and did his usual greet, "Alola, Ilima! It's so cool to finally meet you! Tutu is _always_ talking about you!" Ilima's eyes lit up with recognition as his smile faltered a little, "Your...tutu? Why, am I _that_ old already? Little Hau, is that _you_?" Hau chuckled and put his hands behind his back as he blushed in embarrassment, "Yeah! It's me!"

Ilima smiled again, "Your grandfather is such a gentle old burrow. He talked very fondly of you when you first born. I've always been excited to be able to meet you ever since I knew you wanted to be a pokémon trainer." He took notice of Gladion again and pointed him out, "Oh...and who's this? A friend of yours?" Hau nodded, "Yeah. This is...Hanini. He's traveling with me. He wants to be a pokémon trainer too, so I'm helping him out." Ilima giggled, "Oh my! The student is already a teacher, eh? Well, I'm sure he'll learn a lot of useful things from you, Hau."

"Thanks!"

"I'm _older_ than him..." Gladion grumbled, his desperate attempt to maintain dignity totally un-noticed by the other two.

"So then, you must be here for my trial. Well, I just need to brief you before you boys head inside. This here is Verdant Cavern, and the pokémon inside are quite fierce. I wouldn't venture unless you've prepared some potions or something of the like. Once you enter this cavern, you will not be allowed to exit until your trial is completed. If you understand and accept all this, you may go."

"Oh, totally!"

"Alright then, I just need to see your amulets."

Hau took off his backpack and held it up for Ilima to check. Once he got a nod of approval, he turned to Gladion excitedly, "C'mon Hanini! Let's go on in!" Ilima held a hand up, "Hold on, only _trial-goers_ can go inside. Does he have an amulet?" Gladion stuffed his hands in his pocket, "Well...no. _I'm_ not taking the trials. I'm just here to take tips from Hau." Hau's excitement quickly melted into worry, "Aw man...he really can't come? He's not so good on his own, you know." Ilima smiled and beamed at Hau encouragingly, "Oh, that's alright! He can wait in the Pokémon Center. It's perfectly safe in there."

Hau turned to Gladion again and still seemed worried, "Hanini-"

"It's fine. You go on ahead. I can wait for you," he lowered his voice before continuing, " _I didn't see anybody from the Aether Foundation around here or inside...so I think it's safe_."

Hau didn't smile, but he nodded, putting his backpack back on. He stared at Gladion for a moment before turning and heading inside with Litten, whom also gave Gladion a parting glance before it continued on beside it's master. Gladion gave it a wave before turning to head back inside the Pokémon Center. He'd be lying if he said he was truly comfortable parting with Hau, especially since he had no idea how long these trials usually took. He would just pass the time and ease his anxiety if he could summon his Null...but he knew that'd be too dangerous.

Even if nobody from the Aether Foundation was around. Flaunting Null in any public area would attract all sorts of attention he didn't want right now. Best to play it as safe as possible. As he waited, his anxiety only got worse as the sun began to set. Had it really been _hours_ since Hau had gone in to take his trial? Or maybe it had just been that long of a journey to _get_ here. There was no clock that Gladion could see in here, so he had no idea. He didn't want to ask the nurse since he didn't want to approach anyone without Hau next to him.

Though, he had a thought that maybe that was even weirder and more conspicuous than just asking. He didn't know. He didn't care enough. Eventually, just as the sky began to bleed with purple, Hau returned to the Pokémon Center with dirt on his face, and his Litten looked ready to kill as it's eye twitched and it's coat was covered in dust and mud. It's eye twitched as it limped along the cold floors with agitation and rage. Gladion would've jumped on Hau to check on him, but he was somewhat startled and uneased by the Litten's aura of anger.

Hau quickly noticed this and called the Litten into it's ball so it couldn't scare any patrons inside. He sighed in relief, probably exhausted from likely having to drag the pokémon all the way over here. As Gladion finally approached Hau, he noticed immediately his arm had a familiar looking type of scratch on it. "H-Hau! Are you alright? What _happened_?!" the blonde couldn't help but yelp worriedly. Hau shook his head and smiled warmly to calm Gladion's nerves, "It's...just a scratch, Hanini. It's fine. He's just a little upset right now."

"How'd you guys even _get_ like that?" Gladion asked, still dumbfounded. 

Hau looked down at himself as he blinked, "Oh, _this_? Well uhhh, it was pretty dusty in there and first I thought Litten was fine. But then we got to the Totem Pokémon and-" 

" _Totem_ Pokémon?" 

Hau's eyes widened a bit, "Oh! Right! See, during the Trial, you have to fight a _bunch_ of pokémon. And the last one you have to fight is like...the leader. We call them Totem Pokémon. They're like 2 times bigger than what pokémon of their breed usually are! Sometimes _4_ times!"

"Really? That sounds kinda scary..."

"Don't worry, Hanini! Litten and I took care of it, no problem! Except...it kind of got dirt and stuff all over Litten. So Litten's been pretty mad about it. He wouldn't even let me pick him up. That's kinda why he scratched me. I was trying to clean it off myself but he wasn't having that either."

Gladion huffed impatiently, "You're like a magnet for trouble, you know that?" Hau winked and stuck his tongue out playfully, putting his hands behind his head again in his now seemingly signature pose, "Maybe~! But I got the Z-Crystal!" Gladion calmed at this and his expression reverted back to his normal curiosity, "You _did_?" Hau nodded, pulling it out of his pocket and showing it off, "I just had to take it off the Pedestal. It's not too hard to get it once you beat the Totem Pokémon."

"It's just like the one the Professor showed us..." Gladion muttered. Hau put it back in his pocket, and smiled at Gladion, "Just gimme a minute to heal up. Then we can head down to the motel. We should be able to make there before it gets too dark. It's not far." Gladion nodded, and sat down again as Hau approached the front desk. He couldn't help but sigh with relief. He hadn't realized how much he began to rely on Hau's company just from the little time he'd already spent with him. Pulling out the now almost-empty bottle of tea, he stared down at it.

 _It's...probably nothing. I'm just distracted_ he concluded, finishing off the last of Hau's tea before tossing the bottle into a recycling bin by the front door. Out of the corner of his eye he caught the beaming green-haired kid approaching him and turned to face him. "Oh, you don't need to stock up on any items?" Hau rubbed the back of his head, "Eh, I'll do it tomorrow. We're gonna come back up this way anyways. Besides, I'm pretty tired." Gladion stared at him for a moment, "...Do you...need me to carry you?"

"I thought you said you wouldn't do that~" Hau teased, sticking his tongue out at the older boy. Gladion's face flushed and he turned away from Hau, tugging on the strings with full force, "F-Forget it! You're such a brat! You're probably too _fat_ to carry anyways!" Hau pouted, "Hey! I'm not _that_ heavy! I'm smaller than you!" Gladion took a deep breath to calm himself before he allowed Hau to look at his face again. To Hau's surprise, Gladion reached out and grabbed Hau's hand, though this time it seemed he was more conscious of it.

"C'mon, let's just go before you start playing 20 questions," Gladion beckoned. Hau blushed a little, but it thankfully went un-noticed by the older boy. Hau nodded, "R-Right. Yeah."

\---

Just as Gladion feared, there was only one bed available for use in the room they had rented out for the night. No matter, he was never one to oppose the floor as an option. And he never really was a fan of blankets, even when he was younger. Hau immediately crashed onto the bed and Gladion gave him a nervous glare as the dirt-covered boy began rolling around in the sheets. Hau sat up when he noticed how quiet Gladion was and stared at him curiously, "What?" Gladion resisted the urge to scream in frustration and restrained himself.

"Hau...get in the shower. You are making the bed all _dirty_. Or do you _intend_ to sleep in all that mud?"

"Oh! Whoops!" Hau chuckled.

Gladion sighed, pulling the boy up off the bed by his arm, "You need to learn how to stop running head-first into everything. Go on, take a shower. I'll clean this up." Hau smiled, "Ok!" And with that, he darted into the bathroom with his backpack in toe. Gladion sighed and did his best to clean all the dirt off the sheets. While it wasn't a perfect job by the time he finished, it was enough that he didn't feel too pitiful for the cleaning lady. It had taken so long, nearly the second he had finished, Hau emerged in pajamas with a towel wrapped around his head.

"Oh wow, you're a miracle worker! Thanks, Ha- ...G...Gladion," he praised, giving his room-mate a thumbs-up. Gladion reached into his hoodie pocket, taking out the luxury ball that had been sitting snugly inside the entire day. "Yes, well, can't have you making _too_ much work for the cleaning lady," he stated. He looked at the ball curiously, despite seeing Hau call forth and release his pokémon from their balls a few times now, he was totally clueless. "Um...how do you do this again?" he asked.

Hau gently put his hand ontop of Gladion's left hand that was turning the ball around to inspect it. He blushed and flinched a bit, but couldn't bring himself to pull back or Arceus-forbid retaliate, for some reason. Hau smiled gently as he flipped the ball over and pushed the button to increase it's size, just before helping Gladion position himself to hold it out. "Here...it's voice activated. Usually when you throw it, it automatically sets off but people only really do that when they're battling. Er...what's it's name again?"

"It's...Null. _Type_ :Null," Gladion answered, keeping his eyes focused on his hand. "Got it. All you gotta do is call for it and it'll come out. Go ahead," Hau encouraged. Gladion nodded, "Ok...Null! Come on out!" The ball clicked open and a light shot from it that morphed into the shape of his companion pokémon. Eventually, the light faded and the ball snapped shut again. Null looked around, unsure and confused by it's surroundings until it's eyes landed on it's partner and lit up in relief.

Gladion lowered his hand and a smile crossed his face that Hau relished in. "See? It's _easy_!" Hau chirped, sitting on the bed as Gladion put the ball back in his pocket for safe keeping. The older boy approached his pokémon and pet it gently, quietly cooing assurances to it to ease any anxiety it might've felt about it's new home. Hau just watched with a big grin on his face before he decided to break the moment with a question, "Say...Gladion. You could really be a great trainer if you put your heart into it. You ever thought about becoming a _real_ trainer when you leave Alola?"

Gladion's eyes widened a little. That blaring question again. The same one he had been wondering somewhere in the back of his head since their visit to the cemetery earlier that day. What exactly did it mean? Being a _real_ pokémon trainer? Did it mean being a skilled battler like Moon? Or did it mean being completely in tune with your companions, like Hau? Or maybe it was both. He truly, sincerely had no Earthly idea. He didn't look at Hau as he kept petting Null gently, "I...never really thought about it before. Maybe."

"I bet you'd make a cool trainer. Heck, maybe you could even be a _Champion_ someday, too!"

"Champion, huh...?"

Gladion's sudden quietness caught up to Hau and he stared at him a bit worriedly, "Gladion...?" The blonde snapped out of his trance and he turned to look at Hau, his face like a deerling in headlights. "S-Sorry! It's...nothing. Thank you, Hau." Hau was still sure that something was bugging Gladion, but he knew better than to push after the luxuries he'd been given already today. He simply smiled and nodded, "Of course, Gladion. It's what _friends_ do."

_Friends...friends...friends..._

Oh, what a troublesome word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg you guys are all so beautiful and lovely and I just wanna stuff candies in all your mouths
> 
> Thank you guys sooooo much for all the love, seriously, this lazy bitch don't deserve it.


	14. Chapter 13 - Make You Whole Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion and Hau decide to go shopping, and they run into an unexpected yet familiar face.

Gladion stirred quietly, and as he sat up he was only slightly disoriented by the sloppily placed blanket that fell from this shoulders. He rubbed his head and moaned quietly, still slipping between consciousness and unconsciousness, he grumbled, "Mmm...what...?" Hau was standing in front of a mirror placed precariously on the wall by the bed, a little hairtie hanging from his mouth as he had a bunch of his hair gripped in his hands and pulled back. He had already put in his hair clips, so his face was in plain view as always.

He turned his head to look at Gladion, carefully taking out his hair tie and smiling, "Well, good _morning_ , sleeping beauty." Gladion was still so deep in the process of waking up he didn't even register the borderline flirt as he rubbed his eyes. He groaned in annoyance, "I didn't have a blanket when I went to bed last night..." Hau's eyes lit up as he finished wrapping up his hair in a messy and spiky ponytail, "Oh! You were shivering in your sleep so I thought you were cold. I thought you'd need it."

This snapped Gladion completely into consciousness, though he was still feeling the exhaustion of having just awoken. He buried his face in his palm, displeased that he had yet again gone another night with awful terrors. "Damn...again..." he muttered. It was so quiet he figured Hau couldn't possibly hear his complaint, but he didn't account for Hau having the ears of a Braviary. Hau grabbed something off the bed nightstand, carefully approaching Gladion before he handed it out to him, "Here...I made some more for you."

The blonde gently took it, once again surprised to find Hau had made him a new bottle of tea. Hau beamed, "I noticed you ran out yesterday, and it looks like it helps to calm you down. Figured you'd like to have some more. Maybe if you drink it before bed it'll help with...you know." Hau scratched his cheek, not wanting to corner Gladion and make him uncomfortable. Gladion nodded, slowly getting up onto his feet, "Y...Yeah. Thank you, Hau." Hau was only briefly surprised by Gladion's sincereness before beaming again and putting his hands behind his head.

"Man, you have some nasty bed head! Your bangs are all tangled!" Hau teased, attempting to life Gladion's obvious indifference to the morning hours. Gladion lifted his hand up to check this, and blushed in embarrassment, "Shoot...this almost always happens. Do you have a brush, Hau?" Hau nodded, taking a brush off the nightstand and cleaning it out before handing it over to Gladion. The blonde eagerly took it, proceeding to try to brush out the knotted mess but failing miserably. He sighed and hesitantly held the brush back out to Hau as he pouted and refused to meet his eyes.

Hau gave him a quizzical look until Gladion spoke up in a quiet grumble, "C...Can you help me? I can never get this right..."

Hau began to sweat a bit, but kept his obviously strained grin from falling with miraculous will-power as he took back the brush. "O-Oh. Sure. I can do that..." he assured, feeling just as embarrassed as Gladion was about all this. With no words exchanged between them and poor attempts to hide their flustered breathing, Hau brushed out Gladion's tangled bangs with ease. As soon as he was finished, he took a large step back and put the brush back on the nightstand, turning his back to Gladion.

"Th-There you go! All untangled!" he chuckled nervously to hide his flustered tone, and it only made it more obvious. Gladion blinked and once again Hau's words went un-registered until a few moments later when his Null began to stir from all the noise. This snapped the boys right out of it and Gladion immediately went to check on his companion. Hau simply stared before looking away again. He began to wonder why he was so off-put by the favor the older boy had just asked of him. He brushed plenty of girls's hair before, most of them old friends with long hair.

Maybe he was just weirded out by how trusting Gladion was becoming lately. After all, he was sure that just a few days ago Gladion would never ask him to do something like that. Slowly, he smiled. _It must be working!_ Hau concluded, grinning with newfound determination before he turned to face Gladion again. It appeared that he had already called his pokémon back into it's ball, as the Null had suddenly vanished into thin air. He approached the blonde as he stuffed the ball into his hoodie pocket with his bottle of tea.

"Sooo, I was thinking..."

Gladion raise a brow at him, " _That's_ dangerous..."

"Don't be so mean, Gladion!" he pouted before continuing, "You brought up a good point yesterday at the Berry Farm. If you're gonna become a trainer, you need a bag!"

"But I don't have any pokémon yet."

"You have Null!"

"He's...well...I can't really _use_ him, Hau," Gladion said, exasperated trying to find a way to get around Hau's narrow window of thinking.

"Well it's probably less hectic to keep it in a proper bag than in your pocket, isn't it? What if your stuff falls out while you're not looking?"

Gladion's eyes widened a bit as his grip on the luxury ball tightened. It was true, that wasn't the most _secure_ spot for him to keep Null. And eventually he would probably need to start carrying some things for Hau. Slowly, he looked up at Hau, "I...never thought about that. You're right." Hau nodded at him, "Sooo, instead of heading up the trail today, let's do some shopping first! It can't hurt to look around, you know!" The blonde nodded again in agreement, "Alright. So we're going back to Hau'oli today?"

"You bet!" Hau confirmed, grabbing his bookbag off the floor and heading for the door. Gladion reached his hand out, "Uh- H-Hau wait!" Hau had his hand on the doorknob when he turned to look at Gladion, "Is...something wrong, Gladion?" Gladion glanced at the crumpled blanket still on the floor, "You forgot about _that_." Hau smiled and waved it off, "Oh! We're not checking out just yet! We'll do that tomorrow! This is probably gonna take too long to head up the trail again afterwards! It's a long way to get back to Iki Town that way."

"Well...why don't we go back to Iki Town through the shortcut in Hau'oli?" Gladion inquired. Hau chuckled, "I told you yesterday, didn't I? Exploring is the best part about the trials! There's a really cool meadow up the trail we were on last night!" Gladion huffed and simply gave in. He would never understand Hau's desire to drag things out so agonizingly. He met the younger boy at the door and Hau gently turned the knob, swinging the door open and stepping outside, the blonde following close behind. Just as the door shut behind them, suddenly, a thought hit him.

"Wait...sleeping _what_ now?!"

\---

It was warm as usual, and the sky was only partly cloudy today, and the wind was gentle but strong. Which meant every so often the brightly lit town was sometimes graced with merciful shade. It wasn't over 100 degrees, but it was definitely still quite hot. Thankfully, the breeze was cold enough that nobody was melting into the pavement. Hau was quite used to it, so even if it was unbearably sultry, he could deal with it. Gladion, being the shut-in that he was for so many years, definitely could not, and was thankful for the counter-measures to the heat.

"Oh right! I almost forgot!" Hau suddenly shouted as they approached the first street corner, leading them right to the Pokémon Center they had been to before. "I almost forgot! I need to stock up! That trial took a lot out of me!" he remembered, dashing inside with his travel companion so quickly it was almost like the world was ending. Gladion huffed when they got inside, "Hau! Slow down! It's not like the shop is gonna disappear if you don't get there early enough!" Hau blushed a bit and rubbed the back of his head as he chuckled.

"Whoops! Sorry, G- Hanini! I got a little excited!" The blonde sighed and crossed his arms indignantly, looking off to the side as he pouted, "Look, just...calm down already, will you? We're here to shop, not party." Hau nodded, before heading up to the shop while Gladion just sat down at one of the Café tables again. It only took Hau 10 minutes to finish since he had struggled just a bit with what he should prioritize. However, when he had turned around, he caught himself staring at Gladion again rather than approaching him.

The blonde had taken a sip from his tea bottle again, but now he was staring at it. He appeared to be thinking, but Hau was no mind-reader. He could only make lucky guesses. Slowly, he approached the older boy who looked up, snapped right from his trance. "Oh, you're done? Did you find everything alright?" Hau nodded and smiled, "Yeah. I was just a little low on potions. And uhhh...I returned most of the pokéballs I bought to show you." Gladion raised a brow at this, sitting up a bit more to meet Hau's eyes, " _Most_ of them? Did you keep some?"

"Y-Yeah..." Hau admitted, "I know you still aren't really sure about being a trainer yet, but I thought I'd save some just in case." _And besides...the memory is too good to let go of it all at once_ he mentally added. Gladion's face was blank, and Hau couldn't tell if he was flattered or too shy to tell Hau he didn't want them. He had no idea, because as soon as Gladion stood up the subject completely changed, "Well, let's go get that bag then. You can't keep carrying all those _for_ me."

Hau was merely glad that Gladion was taking them, even if party of him felt guilty for pressuring him like this. He smiled and they exited the Pokémon Center and headed right for the clothing store. This time, Hau decided to back off and allow Gladion to pick out a bag himself. Though, he often caught Gladion staring at his options with a strained face. Was he not used to picking out things for himself? _That's weird..._ Hau thought. He then remembered Gladion's indecisiveness at the Malasada Shop. 

At the time Hau was too caught up in his excitement, but now that he was thinking about it...

_Has...he really never had to decide for himself before? He was wearing really expensive and posh clothes when we found him. Is he rich? But I've never heard of him or seen him before._

He then remembered what he himself had guessed before about Gladion. Was it possible that his family never let him do anything for himself? _He said technically he was born here...but he's never left his home before now_ Hau recounted, mentally. _And...now that I think about it...the Aether Foundation are after him, but if he never left his home then why'd he go to the Aether Foundation?_ he thought. These details kept swirling in his head, and none of it quite made sense. He never bothered to question it before.

_"For all you know, I could be lying."_

Hau frowned. _Even if that's true..._ he looked to see Gladion still struggling between all the bags he could pick from. He couldn't help but smile at how somewhat precious it was. _Whatever or whoever it is that you're running from...I'll make sure you won't have to worry about any of that stuff so long as you're with me_ Hau nodded, deciding one his own for once to trust Gladion's word, even if it made no sense. After all, he had a promise to keep.

_"I said I'd help you. That means I'm gonna help you get through whatever problems it is you're having! Even if you can't tell me some of 'em."_

Eventually, though it took nearly 2 entire hours, Gladion settled on a red satchel bag. Hau was leaned against a wall by the cash register, and as soon as Gladion walked up to him he stood up straight. "Oh, you finally found something?" Hau asked, not able to hide his anxious tone. Gladion's face turned red and he looked down shyly, "Y...Yeah. Sorry. I just...couldn't decide." The younger boy beamed encouragingly, "It's ok, Hanini! At least you found something you like, right?"

He nodded, "Mm." The boys quickly shuffled to the cash register and paid in full for the bag. As soon as Hau was handed a receipt, Gladion hoisted the bag over his shoulder and secured it around himself. He wasted no time depositing his luxury ball and tea bottle into his new bag. The younger boy bounded in front of him, bending forward with his hands behind his back as he stared up at Gladion like a tower, "So, watcha wanna do now? We've got the whole day to goof off, after all!"

Gladion had to tear his eyes off of Hau's adorable pose, muttering his answer shyly, "Well...maybe we could...go get malasadas? It's past lunch time isn't it? I'm kind of hungry." Hau froze in shock as he stood upright, still keeping his hands behind his back. He couldn't help but blush again. Though thankfully for him, it was faint. Was...Gladion being considerate of him? Or maybe he truly was just hungry and didn't know what else to suggest. He didn't know, but it caught him off-guard. Regardless, he had to compose himself quickly.

He forced himself to smile, and allowed himself to burst out just a little from the joy he felt, "Awesome idea, Hanini! Malasadas are a _perfect_ lunch!" Gladion's shy shell had suddenly shattered and he was surprised when Hau once again grabbed his hand. This time, however, he had accidentally taken his left hand. Instinctively, Gladion pulled back and rubbed his hand nervously. Hau blinked at this, and tilted his head at Gladion curiously, "Hanini?" Gladion snapped out of his small panic attack and forced himself to swallow his objections.

He was just excited, that was all...right? "S-Sorry. I just...I'm sorry," he sputtered, embarrassed and dejected. Hau just offered a smile and forced himself to calm down. He turned and began for the door, and the blonde followed his lead, taking his lack of an answer with gratitude. Only a small seed of doubt was in his mind about it, but he put that aside for now. The walk to the Malasada Shop was long, so they were forced to make conversation after the first 10 feet, lest they suffer more awkward silence.

"S-Sooo..." Hau started. Gladion looked up curiously, he was still rubbing at his hand nervously, though mostly staring at it. He was forcing himself not to panic too much, so his attention was easily gained. "You haven't seen a lot of pokémon, but did you ever have a favorite growing up? I mean, I'm sure you must've seen _some_ pokémon, right?" Hau asked, gently. The blonde lowered his hands as his head lifted a little higher at the question. He hadn't thought about it much before, as with almost all things in his life.

"Well...our family had a garden at our house. It attracted all sorts of pokémon, but usually grass and fairy types. I...I guess I kind of fibbed when I said I never really owned a pokémon before. There was this...Cleffa-"

"You had a Cleffa? That's so cute!"

Gladion blushed and pouted, "D-Don't tease me. Or I won't tell you, you brat."

"Sorry, sorry!" he chuckled.

" _Anyways_ ," the blonde continued with a huff, "I...had a Cleffa. I kept it in a regular pokéball, but m-"

He hesitated. And Hau noticed. Slowly, he allowed himself to continue, "My... _mother_. She painted a heart on the top of it. I thought it was so dumb back then, but..."

"What happened to it?"

"...My mother...she took it. She said I wasn't adequate enough to take care of it one day. She still let it out to play, but I wasn't allowed to see it. It was really upset about that a lot. Though, one time, it snuck in to see me after she-"

Another moment of hesitation. Hau was sure of it now, Gladion was omitting details. That, or he was struggling to remember properly. He doubted it was the latter, though. He was too cautious and twitchy. He noticed that the blonde had suddenly gripped his left wrist on this second hesitation. Eventually, Gladion shook his head and snapped out of his trance, "...It's...not important. I'm sure it's happy where-ever it is right now." Hau couldn't help but feel pity for Gladion once again.

 _So...his mother wasn't really nice after all_ he concluded. He was about to say something, but at that moment Gladion noticed they had arrived at their destination and pointed. "We're here. Let's go inside, I'm starving," he stated, and Hau blushed as his own stomach growled with hunger. He chuckled nervously to cover it up, but the blonde had already heard and buried his face in his palm as he shook his head. Once inside, they were about to head right for the counter when Hau noticed someone was ahead of them.

"Professor... _Burnet_?"

The woman turned around. She had her platinum white hair held up by a green hair band and tied up with an enthusiastic looking ponytail. It was all messy, and looked unkempt despite her attempt to cover it up. She had on what appeared to be a swim body suit that hung off her by the waist, only held up by a thick belt. In place of the rest of her suit, she had on a grey tank-top, and wrapped around her was a satchel similar to Gladion's own but with a much smaller bag. Gladion froze immediately and Hau didn't notice him tense up suddenly. 

The woman in question beamed, her amber eyes lighting up excitedly as she clapped her hands together.

"Hau! Oh it's been too long! How _are_ you?" Burnet asked, eagerly.

"You know _her_ , too?" Gladion asked, seeming in disbelief. Hau didn't catch onto his exasperated tone and nodded at him, "Yeah! Remember Professor Kukui? This is his wife! I've seen her just as much as I see him around!" Quietly, and for once in a quiet enough tone that Hau couldn't hear, Gladion muttered, "She's...married, now...?" Burnet giggled gleefully, "That's right! He's such a romantic you know!" Her upbeat tone and demeanor was so infectious that Hau couldn't help but burst out into a grin.

"So, I hear you're starting your trials! That's wonderful! And, your friend here is...?" she pondered, glancing to Gladion who still had his face covered by his hoodie. Gladion began to panic, _Does...she really not recognize me? Or maybe she just doesn't remember._ Hau turned to look at Gladion, only now noticing how tense he was. _Oh...he must be nervous about if Kukui told her anything!_ he said, kicking himself mentally. He knew he had to do something to reassure Gladion, and he knew just the thing.

"I'm-"

"This is my friend, Hanini! I'm teaching him how to be a trainer! We came out here today to get him a bag so he can start carrying more stuff."

Gladion stared at Hau in disbelief. Even though he knew Hau knew and trusted this woman, he went out of his way to remain secretive rather than carelessly blurt things out. Perhaps he had finally learned his lesson. Burnet raised a brow, "Oh, is that so? Does he have any pokémon yet?" Hau continued to speak for Gladion, much to Gladion's gratitude and continued shock, "Yeah, he's got a starter! But he's been having trouble catching anything." Hau rubbed the back of his head nervously, hoping Burnet would mistake it for embarrassment.

"Well, what a coincidence! You see, I've been shipped a pokémon overseas by an old friend of mine. But the thing is...I don't really have time to take care of it between my research. I've been looking for a trainer to take care of it, and I was _hoping_ to give it over to a spry and skilled trial-goer, buuuut..."

"What kind of pokémon is it?" Hau asked.

She smiled, "I have no idea!"

"Woah! Is it really rare?!"

"Nope~!" Burnet beamed, opening up her bag to reveal an egg nestled comfortably inside. The boys stared in awe and synchronized curiosity hit them. Without meaning to, they both spoke in unison, "Is that a pokémon egg?" They went dead silent as soon as the question left their mouths, not daring to exchange looks as they both blushed in embarrassment. Burnet giggled at the adorable boys, "Why yes, it is! It's from the Unova Region. If Hanini here would like to take it off my hands, I'd _really_ be grateful."

Gladion stared at it carefully, and something that had long been tucked away inside of him began to resurface. He stepped forward, much to Hau's surprise, and spoke so quietly they both almost didn't hear him when he spoke up. "Can...Can I hold it...?" he asked, timidly. Burnet nodded, taking out the egg and gently placing it in the blonde's arms. Hau was still stricken with shock at how suddenly tender the older boy was. Though, he knew that some people could be that way when it came to pokémon eggs.

Gladion observed the egg carefully, still nervous with it in his hands. All around it, it had a black flame pattern tipped off with red dots at the peak of the sharp fires. The top was the same red, and the bottom had a zig-zag like pattern that was a darker black. It was a gothic-like design, not that he minded it. Something flickered in his eyes as he hesitantly met Burnet's, "I...I'll take care of it. I promise to be careful with it." Burnet couldn't help but smile at the sweet boy. She pat his head, and he tensed at the possibility of his hood falling off from the contact.

"Well then, it's all yours! Don't worry, it's not too hard to take care of it! It'll hatch in no time! I've had it since this morning, so I'm not sure how much longer it'll take to emerge. But it shouldn't take much longer than a couple days at the most!" she explained, cheerfully. From behind her, the cashier suddenly chimed in as she held out a warm pastry wrapped in a plastic baggy to her, "Excuse me, ma'am. Your malasada is ready!" Burnet turned and took the tasty treat, thanking the cashier briefly before turning back to the boys.

"Well, I best get back to work now. You boys have fun now, you hear? Take care!" she waved farewell as she headed out the front door, leaving the two boys alone together once again. Hau turned to look at Gladion, who was still gazing out at the doorway for some reason. He seemed to be troubled by something, but now wasn't the time for that. Hau held out on of the spare pokéballs he still had on him, "Hanini, here. For your bag. You can use one of these when it hatches. Usually newborn pokémon are easy to catch without having to do any extra work."

Gladion finally turned his attention back to the younger boy, gently putting the egg inside his bag with all the pokéballs Hau kept for him. He nodded, "Thanks. Let's order some malasadas. I'll just have the same one I had before." Hau turned to the cashier, and promptly ordered them two malasadas. The blonde took note that Hau had decided to order something far less spicy this time. They decided to sit down at a booth, seeing as they were both tired from walking around the entire day. 

"So, you wanna become a trainer after all. That's good."

"Huh? Oh...yeah. I...guess. I just...I don't know. I felt like I want to protect it."

"That's pretty common for people who get their first egg. I've seen tutu with one before, usually ones that Tapu Koko finds abandoned."

"I see...so the Tapu Koko works with your grandfather to help pokémon?"

Hau nodded, "Yup! They do lots of cool stuff! And sometimes the deities call upon their Kahunas for super important missions!"

"Missions?" Gladion raised a brow curiously. This scenario sounded familiar...

"Well, yeah! Kind of like how a secret agent does!"

"Of course..." the blonde sighed.

"I wonder what pokémon it is, though...it looks like it could be a dark type," Hau pondered, pouting a bit as he chewed his food, "But I don't think I know any pokémon from the _Unova_ Region. What do you think it is, Hanini?"

Gladion stared down at his bag curiously. He usually never saw pokémon not native to his region, but when he was younger, he would see the occasional odd-one-out. He never learned the names of any of them, since usually the scientists that worked for his parents were hauling them around. And they pretty much _never_ addressed him or his sister when they tried to talk to them or get them to play. As much as they had to treat them with respect, all their research was confidential and fragile. They were considerate kids and made sure to stay out of their way.

But that was _before_ things became sinister, of course. Before he had any clue what kinds of things his mother was _really_ doing. "I wonder..." he muttered, finishing off the last of his malasada. The whole time he spoke, his breath was frozen ice. Hau was silently hoping the blonde didn't notice him staring at the misty fog every time he spoke. "Well, it doesn't matter. I'm sure whatever it is, it can't be _that_ bad, right?" Gladion asked, just as Hau finished his _own_ malasada. Hau nodded eagerly.

"Totally!" he beamed. Gladion glanced outside, noticing the sun was still high in the sky. "We still have a lot of time left. What else should we do?" he asked, only half unaware that he was saying this out loud. Hau stared at him for a moment, noticing easily that Gladion seemed evasive of things he wanted to do himself. Hesitantly, he decided to impose, "...Do you wanna see the Ferry Station again? It...seemed to make you happy before." Once again, the older boy was astonished with Hau's generosity.

He smiled warmly, a rare occasion of such that made Hau blush from how unexpected it was, "No, it's fine. Besides...I don't wanna risk getting too close to the Aether Foundation again. Especially since they'll _definitely_ be hostile to you if they see you with me." It was almost comparable to tug-of-war, and yet neither boy realized they were butting heads constantly. However, Hau decided to fold, still feeling a little sorry for his travel companion. "A-Alright. We can just...go check out some other places for a bit. Come on, let's go."

The boys got up simultaneously, both tossing their crumb-littered wraps in the recycling bin before heading out the front door together. Neither of them grabbed the other's hand out of shyness and guilt, but Gladion kept a tight grip on the strap of his bag. A new will had driven him forward, and he wouldn't let Burnet _or_ this pokémon down. No matter what.

\---

Once the door opened, Hau was assaulted in a slew of meows and electric kisses from his Litten and Pichu as they pounced on him. He chuckled joyfully, immediately squatting down to give them all the attention they demanded. "Hahaha! Calm down you two! I'm right here! Did you get bored?" he greeted as Gladion closed the front door. Make his way around Hau, he placed his satchel on the bed and pulled out his luxury ball to summon Null who immediately began nuzzling it's master.

Gladion couldn't help but chuckle himself, giving Null it's well-deserved pets. "Ok, Ok! Calm down! Heh..." he cooed. The boys took a couple minutes to tend to their fussy companions before Gladion finally turned his attention back to the egg. Carefully and slowly, he took it out and placed it atop a fluffy pillow to keep it safe. All three pokémon were overtaken with curiosity. Null sat down in front of the bed and tilted it's head curiously, while the two smaller critters hopped onto the bed and carefully observed from a short distance.

Litten sniffed it curiously, swatting Pichu's hand when it reached to touch it and hissing in a scold. Null grunted at the two, almost like an elder sibling trying to quiet their rowdy siblings. Gladion couldn't help but chuckle in amusement. Hau approached them and stared at the egg with a cute expression that radiated pure innocence. "It looks ok...I know a few things about raising eggs from tutu. I think we're doing everything right _so_ far," he smiled. Gladion nodded, turning to pat his Null again as he whispered to it.

"You're gonna have to help out, too. Ok? I'm gonna trust you guys to look after it when we can't. That means if anything happens to me or Hau, you keep that egg safe. Got it?" he instructed, sternly. Null nodded and grunted in assurance. Hau smiled at this and turned to Gladion eagerly, "Well if that's the case, come outside with me! There's something I wanna show you!" Gladion huffed tiredly, "Hau we've been running around all _day_. Can't it wait till tomorrow?" Hau waved his hands nervously, "Oh, no no no! No travelling anywhere! You won't even have to stand up if you don't want to!"

Gladion raised a brow at him, but he decided to indulge the younger boy. He proved himself more than trustworthy earlier. He stepped forward, taking his hand off of Null, "Alright...sure. Lead the way." Hau nodded, turning to Litten and Pichu briefly before he moved for the door, "Behave yourselves, ok? We'll be back in a bit. And _don't_ make trouble for Null." He gave a slight glare with his last instruction, but it faded as quickly as it appeared. The three pokémon stared at the door blankly for a moment, before Pichu made a reach for the egg again.

And once again, a loud swat resounded in the room, followed by a hiss and a warning grunt.

\---

It was almost pitch-black outside now, save for the glowing outdoor lights of the motel and a streetlight just on the corner of the parking lot by the trail up to Verdant Cavern. Hau lead Gladion right to the edge of the parking lot, the only thing for miles below it being pure ocean. Everytime Gladion gazed on an ocean's surface, it seemed bits and piece of his crash kept coming back to him. However, he didn't let Hau know this. It wasn't important, anyways. At least...he didn't _think_ it was. Not now.

Hau pointed eagerly up at the starry sky. The moon was blanketed almost entirely in darkness tonight, only leaving the crescent shape the moon's light still gave off. At first Gladion was about to ask what the big deal was, when both their eyes became locked on an astonishing scene. It was like a colorful rain of color, and it was brighter than any of the stars that were in the sky. Both their eyes sparkled with wonder as Hau grinned. "It's...so pretty...what is it?" Gladion asked, completely taken aback by the sight.

"It's a Minior shower!"

"Don't you mean _Meteor_?"

"Nope! Minior is a pokémon! They usually hail from space, but sometimes they fall down to Earth! Usually when they crash down, they've got this really hard shell covering them. But occasionally, we get showers like _this_ one. Miniors can be all _sorts_ of colors, so it's kind of like watching a rainbow fall out of the sky!"

"It's...so beautiful..."

"I thought it might be your first time seeing one," Hau smiled, though a hint of pity was left in his tone. Gladion looked to Hau sadly and nodded, "Yeah...it...it is. I've never seen things like this before. Not for real." He rubbed his arm nervously, and this made Hau's attention draw back to Gladion's left hand. Once again, he was left wondering if the blonde was still upset about Hau's mis-step earlier. He hesitated. _I...I shouldn't...but..._ he thought, staring at Gladion's hand for a moment before meeting his eyes properly.

"Hey...I know it's probably none of my business, but..." he began, still hesitant to intrude. Maybe he should just quite while he was ahead. Gladion hated questions, maybe he shouldn't have-

"What is it?"

Hau was surprised by the reply. Did he really trust him enough? He would soon seen, surely. He continued, still just the slightest bit hesitant, "Your...hand." Gladion remained silent, grabbing his left wrist instinctively but his expression remained unchanged. Deep down, he knew this was coming. _Stupid...! I should've just sucked it up!_ he cursed himself, internally. "You're really sensitive about it. You almost never use it for anything and you hate it when anybody touches it," Hau stated, completely affirming Gladion's fears.

"So you noticed..." he muttered, clearly displeased that Hau had become so observant of him. Hau sighed. He didn't want to make him uncomfortable, but he wanted to help. And that meant being there for him if he needed to talk. Not just being canon fodder. "Listen, I know you probably don't like me all that much but I'm your friend. So...if you ever need to tell me anything, you can," he offered. Gladion's eyes widened a bit and that word echoed in his brain again like a broken record.

_We're friends_

_It's what friends do_

_Or at least..._ _ **I**_ _think you're a pretty cool friend._

"...We're...friends?" he asked, shakily. He was starting to lose his resolve. Hau had said it so many times already, he knew that. But now it suddenly began to mean something. Something that the older boy didn't want to lose. Even if it was dangerous, having a friend sounded... _nice_. Hau was taken aback slightly by this response. He could tell that the blonde was doubting himself. But why? Didn't he already reassure him he'd help him? Unless...

"Have you...never had a friend before?" Hau guessed. He felt like he knew the answer, he didn't even want to hear him say it. It'd be awful. How could he have gone 13 years without one? Didn't he have anyone to turn to at his home? He _must_ have, right? Gladion hesitated, "...No. I was never allowed to leave my home." _It's just like I thought...he's been all alone this whole time_ Hau thought. He couldn't help but once again start to ask questions about the story that Gladion had given him so far. His mother was cruel, and he was never allowed to go outside.

He never even got to make friends for himself. It seemed like he was kept in a cage, like some kind of animal. Then, a horrible, unthinkable thought crossed Hau's mind. _No...it can't be...can it?_ he thought in disbelief. His cautious and agitated attitude the first few days, his intentional omission of details that seemed to be important, the way he reacted to his hand being touched...to _any_ danger what-so-ever. It was the worst thing he could've thought of, and it lined up with everything else so far...but...

"...Did someone hurt you?"

Gladion's defenses rose back up as soon as the question left Hau's mouth. Was he _that_ careless? There was no way Hau was just that lucky. No...no, Gladion had messed up. He turned his head up to look at Hau again, his eyes were filled with fear and doubt, "What?" Hau knew this had to be the first time _anyone_ had bothered to worry about Gladion ever, if not a long, long time. If looks could kill, Hau would've had a heart attack right there. It was too heart-wrenching, but he knew he had already dug this hole too deep to back out now.

"Did someone hurt you? A-At your home, I mean. I've been thinking about all this and from what tutu told me and from the little you've said yourself...it seems like you're running from someone who hurt you. Who hurt your Null..." he admitted. Gladion stared at him, his eyes glazing over but no tears came to them. He didn't need to hear him say it...his eyes had said enough. Suddenly, the blonde tore his eyes away from Hau's, instead staring down at his hand with an intensity that Hau could feel.

"...My mother." 

_What am I doing...? I shouldn't tell him this...!_

Gladion's thoughts began to panic and scream as his mouth no longer obeyed his brain. It was his heart that was doing the talking now, as cliché as that was. Hau's eyes widened. He couldn't believe it, he _wouldn't_ believe it! "Your _mother_ would hurt you...?!" he asked. Gladion didn't respond to this. It's not that Hau thought he was lying, but he was too shocked to understand. It was a minute or so before Hau was able to process the answer. He continued to dig, he wanted too badly to help him, "...Is...that why? Why you're sensitive about your hand?"

The older boy bit his lower lip. He wouldn't dare cry in front of Hau. He can't. If he did... "When I was younger, about 2 years ago...I got fed up with her behavior. She was acting selfish and ignoring me and-" he hesitated, biting his lip again to keep himself from mentioning Lillie. "...A-And...not spending more time with me. But she didn't like my attitude, so as punishment for disobeying her...she pinned me down and dug her heel into my left hand. And she didn't stop. Not when I begged or pleaded or tried to appeal to her sense of humanity. Never..." 

_Stop...he doesn't need to know this! Don't ruin him!_

"Your mother did that to you...?" Hau gasped, trying hard to accept the reality he was being made privy to. This question was the straw that broke the Camerupt's back. Gladion didn't truly consider Lusamine his mother anymore, but...actually talking to someone about it made him start to realize how not normal it was. He hadn't given himself time to feel anything about any of it in a long time. But Hau wouldn't let him get off that easy. He didn't intend to break these walls, but break they did. And with that, Gladion could no longer hide his grief.

He began to shake, and tears slid down his cheeks ever-so steadily. His breathing became heavy and shaken, and he nodded before he finally graced Hau with an answer, "...Y...Yeah..." 

_Stop it...stop it! I can't let him see me like this...!_

It was impossible _not_ to hear the tears in Gladion's voice. The younger boy's eyes widened. There was no longer any doubt about it, and they were both forced to face the harsh reality of all this. So many things were still unclear, but Hau no longer cared. He had done enough damage already. Stupid...what was he thinking? _Even though you trusted me this much, you-_ Hau's thoughts came to a boiling point. _You...trusted me...this much. You trusted me!_ Hau realized it so suddenly, like a slap to the face.

"Gladion...!" Hau rushed forward, and grabbed Gladion's shoulder. He turned and stared at him wide-eyed with tears now streaming down his face. He was still holding his wrist, his grip tight now. They just gazed at each other quietly, each trying to formulate some kind of response to the other but failing miserably. Eventually, Gladion wiped away his own tears and crossed his arms, glaring down at the ground. Hau took his hand off of Gladion's shoulder and stepped back, he only stared for a moment before looking up at the stars.

"...My parents never hit me or yelled at me or anything like that. But, it's not the most _happy_ family unit, either."

_Is...is he...?_

"...What happened to _your_ parents?" The blonde asked, cautiously, offering a look of pity as he turned to watch him. Hau didn't move his eyes from the sky as he continued to speak, "My dad...he left just shortly after I was born and moved to Kanto. Guess he couldn't handle being a Kahuna's only son. And my mom...she just couldn't afford to raise me on her own. So it's just been me and tutu for a long time. I still talk to my mom sometimes, but I never hear from my dad at all."

Gladion had finally remembered the torn photo on Hau's bedside table. He had his own thoughts about what it could all mean, but this was no where near what he had previously thought. "Hau...I-I'm so sorry." Hau finally turned to look at his friend, smiling sadly, "Hey, don't pull up more waterworks just for _me_. He's a jerk anyways...I just wanted you to know I know how it feels to have familial struggles. And...it's only fair. I didn't expect you to open up to me like that, Gladion."

Suddenly, the older boy had been pulled out of his slew of thoughts and was made to realize this fact. He hadn't intended when he first met this boy to become so enamored with him. But now, he could barely separate from the boy for just a couple hours. What was happening to him? He didn't understand. Being friends sounded so nice, and he became to attached to the attention Hau had spoiled him with. Risks suddenly stopped mattering to him, and instead he valued Hau's company over his own fears.

"...I...I didn't either." Hau smiled, "Hey, smile. You're safe now aren't you? We can have fun and not worry about all that bad stuff." Gladion stayed silent for a moment, staring up at the stars briefly before meeting Hau's eyes again. He smiled softly, "Y...Yeah." Hau returned his smile briefly before looking back down at Gladion's hand again. He still had a grip on his wrist, but it had loosened significantly. Gladion was about to follow his eyes when they suddenly met his own again and Hau held out one of his hands.

Gladion stared at him curiously, raising a brow in confusion, "Wh...What is it?" Hau smiled again to give the older boy comfort, "It's like I told you before, dummy. I wanna help you whenever I can. If it'll help you feel better to use it yourself, then go ahead." Gladion couldn't help yet another blush, and he just kept his gaze trained on Hau's dark eyes for a moment. _I_ _**want**_ _to trust you..._ he thought, hesitantly turning his attention back to Hau's hand. His eyes narrowed as he tried to focus his breathing.

He wanted to get over it...he _had_ to. If he let this get the better of him, he'd _never_ survive out here with Hau, let _alone_ outside Alola's shores. Slowly, he reached his left hand out towards Hau's out-stretched hand. Halfway to his target, his hand began to shake and he began to sweat. Mentally, he was fighting with himself. He could do this, he _had_ to do this. Hau would never do anything to hurt him...right? He already decided he had trusted him with his life. This should be easy! Why was it so hard?!

Hau was the most patient he had ever been. If Gladion wasn't so caught up in fighting his way through this, he probably would've been taken aback by his demeanor. The day it had all happened began to play back like a horror movie in Gladion's mind. All he wanted from her was to just...stop _ignoring_ them! Lillie was lonely, _he_ was lonely. She had already taken Cleffy away, what more punishment did he have to suffer? What could be so important she couldn't even come _eat_ with them anymore?!

Why did Lillie have to dress up in that ugly dress all the time, anyways? She hated having long hair, it was always so tangled. All he wanted was for his mother to stop pushing them all away. That was what this was about, wasn't it? Wasn't it about their _father_? Wasn't she _grieving_? She had to be, right? She didn't have to go through this all by herself. None of them did. She just kept talking complete nonsense, why does she even care about those stupid Ultra Beasts? They took him away! They took away the only person that kept them together.

The sound of bones cracking entered his ears again and it began to seem like his hand was turning purple. But still, he pushed onward. It wasn't real. It couldn't be real. His eyes suddenly shut tightly. He was only a couple inches away now, and his hand was incredibly unsteady now. Suddenly, it was like Gladion could hear his Cleffa's crying voice again. He was filled with a sense of hope. That maybe, just maybe, things would be alright again. Maybe they wouldn't go back to how they once were...but he could make something good for _himself_.

He abruptly grabbed onto Hau's hand, not even noticing that his hand had stopped trembling. Hau's eyes widened a bit. He didn't expect it to work so well, but it had. He had really done it, he helped him! It took Gladion a full minute before his eyes slowly opened and he finally saw he was gripping onto Hau tightly. The younger boy smiled when he looked up to meet his eyes, gently closing his fingers around Gladion's hand. "See...? You're fine. I won't hurt you," he reassured with a bright smile.

Gladion blushed again, but this time more faintly. His eyes sparked with wonder and adoration once again as he kept his gaze trained on him. Slowly, he offered a weak smile, "Th...Thanks." Hau nodded, looking out at the stars again as the blonde followed his lead. It was a beautiful night out tonight. And while the Minior had long since stopped falling from the sky, somehow the boys' eyes were lost in the deep and endless sky of stars anyways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MMMMMM More cutebone such cutebone so much cutebone 
> 
> Seriously though boys, make some room for Lillie would ya? >w>
> 
> Little more focus on Hau's thoughts this chapter, I realized I wasn't really looking into his head as much as I should be. Hope you guys like it!


	15. Chapter 14 - Trouble Afoot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plumeria gives Lillie some advice on her Cleffa, and the boys are approached by some unruly characters on their way up the trail.

"Hey there, how's the skull princess doing today?"

Lillie looked up from feeding her Herdier some pokébeans. It was wagging it's tail joyfully as it relished in the sweet candies. Her green eyes were met with amber flames hidden under unsightly make-up. "Oh, hello Plumeria. I'm just playing with Herdier," she explained, a hint of disappointment tainting her unusually chipper tone. "Where's the little puffball? Ain't she itchin' to stretch her stubs?" Plumeria snickered, but Lillie's forced smile just became lop-sided and disingenuous. She sighed.

"Well, in a _way_ , she is. She doesn't really feel like playing so much as picking a fight with the other pokémon around the town." Lillie pointed towards the Cleffa in question, glaring fiercely at a trembling Trubbish and two Ratatas. She took a step forward, and the horrified pokémon immediately fled in fear. "Well, if you ask me, she's got the right idea," Plumeria said. Lillie turned to look at her, she seemed surprised at the statement. Plumeria raised a brow at her and once again she realized her boss's precious princess needed some pruning in that brain of hers.

"Look, kid. You can't baby them all the time. You gotta give 'em discipline. You ever hear about the Incineroar Incident on Akala Island?" Lillie pondered this for a moment. She remembered seeing it on the news just a year ago. A young trial-going trainer had lost complete control of it's Incineroar. He didn't mean to, but it's nature and overall strength made it too big on it's own britches. It was a common case. Usually, those types of pokémon had to either undergo domestic training, traded off to someone more capable, or in the worst case...

"I...remember. I felt so bad for that poor boy. But what's that got to do with-" Plumeria interrupted her, "That Cleffa of yours...whether born that way or it went through some kind of puberty at some point...it's got a lot of power in it. Which means you can't coddle it. You gotta be able to prove to it at some point you can handle it's ferocity." Lillie moped at this suggestion. It was true, the way Cleffa was acting, you would think it was naturally adamant or reckless. But it was just upset was all, right? Surely she didn't have to...

"You wanna protect it, don't you? This is how you do that. Don't get me wrong, you gotta take care of these little guys," she said, kneeling down to pet the happy Herdier, "But you gotta buckle down at _some_ point. They get strong fast. Your Herdier here evolved in just a couple of days, after all. You gotta be careful." Lillie stared at Cleffa, it was practically _radiating_ an aura of pure anger and indifference. There wasn't a hint of sadness or guilt or anything of the sort in it's eyes anymore. Only the heat of battle.

"...I...I guess you're right. But how do I control it?" Lillie asked, turning to look at her mentor with curious eyes. Plumeria stood back up, walking over to the Cleffa who immediately met her with aggression. It growled at her, and Plumeria simply raised a brow at it. Lillie covered her eyes as Herdier sat and watched in confusion. "I can't look...!" she cried, overwhelmed with worry. Plumeria leaned down, and flicked the tiny creature between it's eyes, gaining a light, "Pff!" sound. It stumbled back, rubbing the spot with a tear in one of it's eyes.

"Lighten the fuck up. You better start learning to control yourself if you wanna get anything done around here. What do you want, exactly?" Plumeria asked, her tone stern. Cleffa looked up at her, it's face slightly darkened from the alien form of contact so lovingly called discipline. It turned it's gaze towards Lillie, who was now peeking through her fingers curiously. She took her hands off her face, staring back at her companion pokémon. Cleffa's stare became instead a glare, "Cleffyyyyy..."

"So, you wanna help your trainer, is that it?" Plumeria guessed, brow still raised. Cleffa looked up and nodded confidently. Plumeria flicked it between it's eyes again and it squeaked in something more akin to surprise than pain. "Then listen up, ya little shit. You're gonna behave yourself. Because if you don't...your trainer over there is gonna suffer for it. Do you want that, small pint?" Cleffa seemed to take these words into consideration, staring down at it's stubby hands blankly. It blinked, before walking past Plumeria and up to it's master with a shunned look.

It bent down, hanging in shame as Lillie stared worriedly down at it. Plumeria stood up, watching the girl carefully. The Cleffa got down on it's hands and began squeaking in a panicked plea for forgiveness for it's insolence. Lillie cried out in surprise and her eyes went wide. Even her Herdier was off-put by it's friend's weird behavior. She panicked for a moment, looking around for anyone to help, when her eyes landed on Plumeria once again. Her mentor stared her down, as if expectantly waiting for her to do something.

With a heavy heart and a mind set on her goal, Lillie took a deep breath and mustered the best stern look she could. Her cheeks went rosy with the effort she put in, but she places her hands on her hips and looked down on her Cleffa. "Well, well, well. A-Are you done having you're...t- _tantrum_?" The Cleffa nodded, still not looking up at it's master, "Cleff! Cleff!" Lillie crossed her arms and tapped her foot, "W-Well...good! You better straighten up, y-you hear? Because...because..."

Suddenly it hit Lillie. She knew _exactly_ what it was Cleffa needed to hear. Her once adorably amusing and poor attempt at an intimidating look melted into something serious for once. Plumeria was actually so surprised she raised a plucked brow once again. Lillie looked down on her Cleffa with a mix of sternness and something resembling...pity? "Because...if you want to make Gladion pay for what he's done to you...you don't have to be doing it all on your own."

The Cleffa's eyes finally opened, it looked up at Lillie curiously. When it had first been told about Gladion's disappearance, all it had been able to see was red. All it was able to hear was the ringing in it's ears. It was _furious_. And that's how it had remained since then. Lillipup had been concerned, but far too afraid to approach and try to talk to it. Somehow, someway, Lillie knew _exactly_ how it felt? And it was acting like a stubborn fool this _whole_ time. How shameful! It was just being dishonorable, it was a mercy she didn't release it right now.

"That's...what this is about, huh? You're angry. Well, I'm angry too. But you don't see _me_ threatening to rip people's heads off, now _do_ you?" she asked, a rhetorical question but a question nonetheless. The Cleffa gained the courage to stand on it's stubby feet and stared up at Lillie with a mix of apologeticness and understanding. Lillie nodded and huffed before continuing, "Well...you seemed to have learned your lesson. But next time I _won't_ be easy on you. Got it?" Cleffa nodded and Lillie suddenly seemed to snap back to her intrinsic state.

Plumeria smirked, her eyes lightened up with something much like pride. "Well, hot damn! That was a pretty good job, kid!" she praised. Lillie looked to her Cleffa who was dejectedly sitting beside Herdier now. She was about to reach into her bag for a pokébean, but she was stopped when Plumeria grabbed her arm. "Nuh-uh. You gotta give it a day to think about what it's done. They're usually just like children, so it's not hard to discipline them this early on." Lillie seemed to feel guilty with this line of discipline, but she caved.

"Alright, now get those two ready. I'm gonna be testing you out today," Plumeria said, walking past the young blonde. Lillie turned to follow her movements curiously, and the previously moping Cleffa and pitying Herdier couldn't help but do the same. "Y...You are?" Lillie asked, a tad nervously. Plumeria nodded, pulling out a pokéball from her pocket and giving Lillie a challenging smirk, " _You're_ gonna go against my Golbat today, champ." Lillie stared for a moment, before nodding and putting on her best stern face.

Unfortunately, it would never compare to the one she had worn before.

\---

The boys went through their morning routine much quicker this time around. Luckily for Gladion, his bangs didn't tangle in his sleep. He couldn't remember dreaming last night, and concluded he probably didn't have another night terror due to the lack of a feeling of coldness. Pichu and Null were quickly called back into their snug and tiny homes in their pokéballs, and Litten was curiously and carefully watching Gladion place the pokémon egg back into his bag where it would surely be well-hidden. It jumped off the bed, following it's master into the bathroom.

The blonde picked up the room card, and grabbed the doorknob, "Hau, I'm gonna go to the front desk. I'll meet you outside." After a brief, "Sure thing!" from younger boy, Gladion left the room and handed in their room card at the office. Of course, it didn't take long for him to regret the action when the lady began to make conversation, "Are you boys sure you're going to check out? One of you is doing a trial, yeah?" Gladion nodded, not wanting to talk to this lady for longer than he had to. "Y-Yeah...we're heading up the trail today."

The lady smiled and pushed the card back towards Gladion, "Just keep it for now. Lots of young trial-goers end up running into a lot of trouble up there, and usually they have to come right back only to find we don't got a room for 'em anymore. If you feel _really_ guilty, you can always mail it back to me." Gladion was almost completely shocked by this. He raised a brow at her, "That...doesn't sound... _legal_." The lady rolled her eyes and waved him off, "Honey, I _own_ this land. It ain't no problem to me. And I _know_ thieves and freeloaders when I see 'em."

 _I should hope not..._ Gladion thought, nervously. He didn't say a word as he put the room card back into his satchel. Silently, he turned and left the front desk, surprised to see Hau was right outside the door. His Litten had an estranged look of embarrassment and disappointment on it's face, but he wasn't sure why it looked that way. He just looked at Hau curiously, "So...we're going back up the trail, right? And if we don't waste too much time we could make it back to Iki Town before dark." Hau nodded, "Shutes! That's the idea!"

He didn't grab Hau's hand, instead nervously gripping onto the strap of his satchel with both hands. He wasn't sure why, but he had a strangely terrible feeling in the back of his head. Previously, he would've immediately stopped walking and dragged Hau back to the motel room. He would've hid behind him, or been generally far more uneasy. But something had driven him to push all that fear behind him. As Hau had said, his reaction was a common one. Most trainers called it "The Mothering Effect". It affected pretty much every young trainer.

And Gladion's past experiences only made this effect worse. Like he wanted to one-up his _own_ mother. Like he wanted to _prove_ something to her. To himself. He didn't realize it, yet...but his way of thinking had shifted completely since the day before. It was only slowly chipping away up to that point. Now that Hau had broken down his defenses, he was completely vulnerable to the idea that he could handle a lot more than he gave himself credit for. That _Hau_ could handle much more. Just a few days ago, he never would've guessed this infectiously chipper kid would know anything about having a tough family.

 _I'm a real jerk..._ the older boy thought, his grip on the strap tightening. Hau noticed, but he didn't say anything. He had already gotten quite a bit out of the blonde yesterday. He earned a break from his constant and, well, Hau would admit, _tiring_ questions. Maybe he _would_ try not to waste time, too. After all, this was Gladion's adventure just as much as his...wasn't it? He stared down a his hand for a moment as he couldn't help but think of the night before when the boys were watching the Minior shower.

 _So he's starting to trust me a lot more...but he's still hesitating. Is it because he thinks his mother will hurt me?_ Hau wondered. Surely, if this woman was willing to put her hands on her _own_ child that way, what difference did someone else's make? So, that was the fear Gladion had been encapsulated in. Why he insisted Hau stay away in the beginning. But now that Hau had proven himself capable of protecting himself, of protecting them _both_ , that mindset was starting to break. The younger boy smiled. He'd get Gladion to admit they were friends yet.

Suddenly, both the boys were stopped in their tracks and all their thoughts faded into dust in the wind. They were approached by two unkempt looking hoodlums dressed in all black and white, tacky and punk-like clothes. They had masks over their faces, most likely to avoid being identified by whatever parents they had most likely run away from. Or _anyone_ , for that matter. Gladion took a nervous step back. His flight instinct was crumbling, but it was still very much there. He _knew_ something wasn't right. One of the dirty kids pointed at Gladion.

"'Ey, you there! With the stupid haircut!" the first one jabbed.

The other piped up as well, "Is you a certain... _Gladion_?"

Now he was panicked. But for some reason, instead of stepping back again, his grip on his bag only got tighter as he shifted it back to hide from their line of sight. Hau pouted at them, "Who's asking anyways? Didn't your mother ever teach you guys it's rude to point?" The two hoodlums did a strange dance before making estranged hand movements as they spoke, "We here are the Skull Gang, you see! And our boss is out for this little goblin's head, you see?" Gladion's panic and fear began to melt only slightly into confusion, "What? I've never even _met_ your boss!"

"It don't matter!" one of the grunts spat. "What matters it that you got a rare pokémon, we hear. And we want it! NOW!" Gladion started to feel even more anxious. There was no way they could've been talking about... _him_...could they? That was impossible. How would they possibly know about that?! Hau sensed Gladion's panic and stepped forward, "HEY! Beat it, you losers! He's not giving _you_ anything!" The grunts snickered, "Thought you might do this the hard way. But that's just fine with _us_."

The boys had only now noticed the pokémon that were with them. One of which stepped out from behind it's heavy and overweight master that easily hid it's presence, and the other flapping rampantly as it came out from behind it's trainer as well. The dumpy more rounded pokémon resembled an a creature from the Ice Age of the planet with a short but limp trunk hanging off of it's face. The coloring on the lower half of it's belly down resembling pants. The other was a blue bat-like creature with no eyes. Hau rolled his eyes, "Really? You think we're scared of a _Zubat_? You guys probably don't even know how to use those things!"

The grunt behind the Zubat appeared offended, as what little of his face the boys could say became red. "You...! Yo let's get these clowns!" he shouted. Before either boy could react, the heavy grunt pointed right at them, "Drowzee! Confusion!" The Drowzee aimed right for the boys, and luckily, they managed to dodge the attack just in time, each veering away to the side to avoid it. Unfortunately, Gladion's bag had flipped open and the egg began to tilt out of it. The Zubat swooped in, grabbing it and delivering it back to it's expecting trainer. As soon as the boys had regained their surroundings, they were both horrified by what had just occurred. Gladion took a reckless step towards them, "Give that back-!"

Hau stopped him, putting his arm in front of him, "Gladion! Don't! They could hurt it if we act too rashly!" Gladion blinked at him. He would've been ashamed of himself that _Hau_ of all people had to tell him this if he didn't fear for the egg's safety much more. Both trainers glared as the grunts gawked at the egg. "Ohhh, what do we have here? _This_ looks pretty rare...what do _you_ think, Chunk?" the grunt asked his heavier partner in crime. The "Chunk" in question grabbed it from him and started twisting it around, "I don't know, Slink. Looks kinda emo for _my_ tastes."

To the boys' horror, the careless brute started shaking it. Hau got recklessly upset this time, and stepped forward against his better judgement, "I challenge you to a pokémon battle! And if I win, you have to give it back!" The grunts both froze before laughing uncontrollably. This only served to make Hau angrier. "W-What? _You_? No way, you're a clown!" Gladion was starting to become antsy, and he knew it was probably the only reasonable way to get the egg back. He bit his thumbnail before an idea came to him. He mustered his best smirk, his hood hiding his nervous sweating.

"What? You scared you can't beat the Kahuna's grandson? I guess you guys are just wanna-be thugs after all," he jabbed. The boys stared in disbelief as both their faces lighted up with rage and embarrassment. "H...Hell no! We ain't scared of no stupid kid! I'll prove it!" Slink declared. Chunk nodded, "Yeah! We'll beat you up _real_ good! Maybe we should bring _your_ head in too! The boss don't care much for Kahunas, after all..."

Hau pulled out a pokéball, pressing the button to increase it's size and preparing to call out his Pichu. He looked to Gladion, "You can take my Litten. I think you got the hang of how this works by now, right?" The blonde nodded. He had already memorized the moves that Hau commanded his Litten with. Despite not knowing much about the pokémon in these hoodlums' possession, they couldn't have been very strong if Hau had mocked one of them. He had to know what he was talking about, right?

Litten shuffled over to Gladion as Hau called out his Pichu who's cheeks sparked with excitement. However, it immediately noticed these strangers had their hands all over the egg it had just seen the night before. It turned to it's partner in battle and they began to communicate, "Pichu! Pi, pi?" The Litten had a cross look on it's face as it gestured towards the hoodlums, "Mrrrroooowwwww! _**Hissss**_!" It's fur stood on end and the Pichu looked towards them again. It's face was blank for a moment, "Pi...pi...?"

Suddenly, it glared, and it's cheeks flared with static as it was filled with a desire for vengeance, "Piiiiiiii...!" Hau nodded, pointing at the Zubat as he gave his first order, "Let's reem these punks! Pichu, use thunder shock!" Pichu summoned all it's power as static kept emitting from it's pink cheeks, and suddenly, a small lightning bolt came crashing down on the Zubat that it couldn't escape. It's speed was great, but the speed of lightning was far greater. It began to stiffen up, and it's movement was much slower. It had been paralyzed.

Chunk quickly moved to take care of this problem, pointing towards the Pichu, "Drowzee! Put that little rat to sleep! Use hypnosis!" Pichu took a nervous step back as the Drowzee began lulling it to sleep with strangely dolceit noises and odd hand movements. Before Hau knew it, his Pichu was napping peacefully whilst standing up. "H-Hey! What'd you do to it?!" Hau pouted, annoyed and worried all at once. "Relax, just an eye for an eye is all. You paralyzed Slink's Zubat, so I put _your_ Pichu to sleep!" the grunt explained.

Gladion had a strangely determined look in his eyes as he tried to console Hau, "It's alright...Litten can take them, right? Just try to find something to wake it up while I deal with that thing!" Hau was surprised at how calculated and calm Gladion was being, but he didn't waste time thinking too much about it. Immediately, he began digging through his bag as the older boy began to think. _It's...a psychic type, I think. Hau told me it's most common among them. But...I can't remember what's effective against them!_ he thought, trying to think of something, _anything_ that might work. Suddenly, something from long ago echoed in the back of his head.

_"Ms Wicke?"_

_"Yes? What is it, child?"_

_"Well...Lillie says she's really scared of ghost type pokémon. But I don't know how to make her feel better! Maybe if she had a pokémon with her or something? I was thinking maybe an Oricorio from Akala?"_

_"What? A psychic type? That'd be much worse, you know."_

_"Why's that?"_

_"Because, psychic types are_ _**extra**_ _weak against ghost types."_

_"They are...?"_

_"Mmhm! What you'll want is a dark type. Here, give her this doll. It's a Vullaby. It's a lucky doll that should make her feel much safer."_

_"That's...really cool. Thanks Ms Wicke!"_

He knew what he had to do now. He was about to order Litten to attack, when suddenly another memory hit him like a train. The last time he had given a pokémon an order. His hand shook a bit, and he instinctively grabbed onto it to get it to stop. The grunts began to mock him, "Awww! Look! He's getting all scared!" Chunk snickered, "He's tremblin' like a Torchic! This is _hilarious_!" Hau had just pulled a berry out of his bag before turning to notice Gladion's sudden frozen state. _Oh no...it's happening again! I gotta say something, quick!_ he thought, stepping towards Gladion to get his attention.

"Gladion!" Hau called out. Immediately, Gladion was snapped back to reality and he stared at Hau in surprise. "I...I-I can't, I-" Gladion began, but he was cut off by Hau. "You _can_! You just have to push through, remember? You did it last night. You can do it again!" A faint blush grazed the older boy's cheeks as he fondly recalled just the few short hours ago when he had been stargazing with the younger boy. He was right. What was he doing? If he could break his boundaries before, he could surely do it now.

But...

"If you're scared, then think about what's at stake here! That egg needs you! You wanna save it, right?" Whatever excuse Gladion had to cower in terror before had been wiped clean from his mind. Hau was right. It didn't matter how badly he screwed things up, if he didn't even _try_ , that was worse than losing. He had to put up a fight first before giving up. He nodded, and swallowed his previous anxiety before pointing at the Drowzee. "Litten! Use lick!" he commanded. Without hesitation, the Litten pounced and it's tongue seemed to grow a bit longer, much like a Greninja's or a Frogadier's for a moment.

The Drowzee crashed backwards at the hit as the Litten's tongue slapped it in the jaw. The feline bounced back, landing safely on all fours before licking itself after it's tongue shrunk back down. Both the grunts and Hau were shocked by how much damage it had done. Another blow like that, and it was definitely lights out for that thing. "N-No freakin' way! That's not fair!" Chunk sniveled, helplessly. Gladion just shook his head, "Amateurs...you really should just go crying home to your boss while you still can."

"N-No way! We ain't no wusses!" Slink interjected. He pointed at the Litten, "Zubat! Use supersonic!" The Zubat tried to move, to make a sound, but it couldn't. It was nearly glued into place. "Aw man, no way!" Slink whined. Hau approached his Pichu, forcing a strange looking berry that much resembled an acorn into it's mouth. Immediately, the Pichu's eyes snapped open and it looked around in confusion. "P-PI?!" it cried in a panic. Hau stood back up, "It's alright, Pichu. You're ok!" Hau was so distracted he didn't notice the Drowzee approach.

The Pichu, however, did. It quickly darted out of the way as Drowzee slammed it's head down landing instead on the dirt ground beneath Pichu's feet. Hau jumped back as well, not wanting to be caught in the cross-fire. It wobbled a bit, daze, but not suffering any injury from it's attack. Gladion growled. Now he was _really_ angry. Once again, he directed Hau's Litten towards the Drowzee, "Let's give this jerk a taste of his own medicine. Use lick and put him to sleep for good!" Litten nodded, "Mrow!"

"Oh crap!" Chunk panicked, "Dodge, dodge you big palooka!" But the Drowzee was too disoriented and damaged. Once again, it was slapped by the Litten's extended tongue and once again it crashed hard. It's swirled eyes proved it's defeat as it groaned with a dopey grin on it's face. It seemed as though it was on another planet altogether. "Oh crap, Drowzee! Aw man, c'mon! Get up, this ain't funny!" Chunk whined, though try as he did to get the Drowzee back on it's feet, it would not budge. It was completely drained of energy.

Gladion blinked for a moment, staring down at his left hand again, his right hand still gripping his wrist. "I...did it?" he muttered, quietly. Hau nodded and smirked, "Good job, Gladion! You're getting pretty good at this!" Slink was furious now, "Man, screw that noise! I'm gonna beat you both myself! ZUBAT! LEECH LIFE!" Somehow, the Zubat managed to power through it's paralyzed state and bit right into the Litten's back. Litten cried out in pain as the Zubat began sucking the literal life from it. But after only 3 seconds, it pulled back.

It's scratches from Pichu's attack healed and it almost looked completely healthy. But it's movements were still slow and strained. Litten hissed angrily, now left with an unsightly bite mark from the paralyzed bat. "Shoot...! It healed up all the damage I did to it!" Hau groaned. Gladion remained calm, fueled by his earlier victory to keep at it. "Zubats are weak pokémon, right? If we both keep going at it, it doesn't matter how many times it heals itself. And it looks like that move doesn't cure it's paralysis either. We have the upper hand."

Hau nodded, "R-Right!" He turned to the Zubat again, "Pichu! Thunder shock, again!" Once again, the poor Zubat was hit with a bolt of lightning. This particular time, it was much faster and left the Zubat far more scratched up. It cried out in pain and it was starting to move even more slowly, sinking closer and closer to the ground. "Dammit! Lucky bastard got a _critical_ hit...!" Slink growled. "Zubat! Astonish!" he commanded, but the paralysis once again left Zubat unable to move, the prior damage making it near impossible to push through with sheer willpower alone.

"Oh... _shit_!" Gladion took this opportunity and direct the Litten to the Zubat. Now that it was closer to the ground, swiping at it with Litten would _hardly_ be an issue. "Litten! Ember!" Gladion commanded, and the feline's blazing fur stood on end as it hacked a flaming ball of hair straight at the Zubat without missing it. The Zubat was too slow now, and far too tired. It landed, and sent the Zubat flying back and onto the ground with a thud. It was silent now, and Slink tried desperately to get it to come to, but just like Drowzee it was down and out.

" _Yes_! We got 'em!" Hau cheered, unconsciously slamming into Gladion from the side in a hug as he wrapped his arms around the blonde. The older boy's face went a little red, and he tried with no luck to unhook the boy from him. "H-Hey! Cut it out!" he whined. The moment was broken however by the two bratty hoodlums as they soaked in their bitter defeat. "Man, you guys suck! You want your egg back so bad? Here, freakin' take it!" The boys gasped as the larger grunt chucked the egg at them. They both held out their hands to catch it, stepping forward to reach it.

Litten and Pichu jumped up, and grabbed hold of the egg, protecting it from any damage should it hit the ground from all sides. Miraculously, they managed to break the egg's fall and avoid any cracks. The boys _immediately_ rushed over and Gladion scooped up the egg while Hau checked on his pokémon's injuries from the fall. It wasn't damaged, thanks to Litten and Pichu's quick footwork. Finally, Gladion allowed himself to relax and he took a deep breath of relief. He held it close, backing away from the hoodlums and shuffling behind Hau who put an arm out to separate him from the two further.

Litten and Pichu both growled fiercely at the grunts, Pichu's cheeks once again lighting up with static while Litten's blazed fur stood on end as it hissed and growled.

"Piiiii....!!"

"Mrrrrrroooowwww... _ **HISSSS**_!!!"

The two grunts backed away slowly after calling back their pokémon, horrified of being humiliated any further. "W-Woah hey hey! I-It's cool man! W-We'll just be on our way, dawg!" Slink turned and ran off, leaving Chunk behind. Chunk glared and just before he turned to follow after his companion, he spoke. "We'll be back for ya... _both_ 'a ya! So watch your asses, _punks_!" Only when the two hoodlums were far from sight did everyone ease up, though slowly. Gladion let out an exasperated gasp, only now allowing himself to feel the wild stream of emotions that he had been repressing up to now.

He couldn't help but shake and tears came to his eyes as he didn't dare let go of the egg. He would _never_ let it go again. Hau called back his Pichu, staring at Gladion worriedly before he stepped forward. He held his hand out, waiting patiently for Gladion to notice him. And notice he did, as he looked up at Hau curiously. Hau just stared back, before finally saying something, "If...it makes you feel better to hold it, then go ahead. That...was really scary, after all." Gladion shook his head, "N-No, I...I wanna make sure I hold onto it."

"Just who were those guys?"

"They said the Skull Gang. Have you never heard of them before?"

"I...don't think so? Do _you_ know who they are?"

"They've been on the news for a while now. Some kind of gang of a bunch of delinquents run by a disheveled man-child who calls himself Guzma. He's got it out for the Kahunas in Alola, I hear. All they do is make trouble and steal pokémon from other trainers."

Hau's frowned at this, "That's horrible! Do you think Moon has run into these guys?"

"That's...a good point, now that you mention it."

"What do you mean?"

"Their base of operations is on Ula'Ula, not here. Why are they on Meleme-" Gladion stopped himself, and he suddenly remembered what the grunts had stated before.

_"We here are the Skull Gang, you see! And our boss is out for this little goblin's head, you see?"_

_"What matters it that you got a rare pokémon, we hear. And we want it!"_

"...They said their boss is looking for me. And they wanted a rare pokémon, but, I can't be sure if they mean this egg or..."

Hau's eyes lit up in realization, "...Or your _Null_!"

"But, they shouldn't even know about it! I've never even met them before!" the blonde shouted, seeming panicked.

Hau took a moment to think, "Is...is it possible that maybe the _Aether_ Foundation employed them?"

"No...they wouldn't work with sloppy, under-capable criminals. They're more competent than those guys could _ever_ be."

Hau stared at Gladion for a moment, grabbing the straps of his backpack. They had enemies from almost every corner. Too many enemies. It was horrifying enough that a big organization was after them. Now a gang of criminals wanted a piece of Gladion _too_? Hau knew Gladion was probably beyond stressed. Then an idea hit him. "...Well, you know what I think?" Gladion slowly looked up at him, curious on the question, "...What?" Hau looked down at the egg, causing Gladion to do the same.

"...I think...it's best if we wait for the egg to hatch before we keep moving. If those guys come back, there's a good chance they'll try and take it again," Hau suggested, seeming oddly cautious for once. The blonde agreed, glancing to his bag, "The lady who owned the motel said I could keep my card since usually trainers have to come back even if they prepared for everything up the trail. We'll wait in our room until it's hatched." The younger boy nodded back, reaching into Gladion's bag and fishing out the room key in question.

"Oh, by the way..." Hau began.

Gladion became nervous. _I knew it...he's going to ask me about my freeze up. Dammit, I need to stop-_ "You were really great back there. I think you could probably train this pokémon really well. You even knew a weakness I didn't know about! That's really cool!" he praised. The blonde was taken aback in shock. He wasn't going to interrogate him about his mis-step? He himself called him out on it, didn't he? Perhaps he just forgot or just wanted to get the egg to safety. Coincidentally, so did he. In mutual interest, he decided not to question him about it.

They made their way back to the motel, Gladion still keeping the egg close to him the whole way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeyyyyy, Lillie's back! How ya doin' bumpkin?
> 
> I know I know, you guys have all been just _dying_ to see her again. Well, here she is! Hope you enjoyed her cause she's here to stay!


	16. Chapter 15 - Hard Lessons, Easy Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillie takes on Plumeria's Golbat while Gladion's recent failures start to eat at him.

Once again, the girls were stood beside the small pond just a few feet outside the Po Town walls. Not that Lillie minded the change of scenery, but it did have her perplexed. She looked to her mentor, who seemed to be admiring the scenery. "Um...not that this isn't a nice place to practice, but how come we're out here instead of inside?" Plumeria turned to look at Lillie, still gripping her pokéball, "I don't really _do_ closed spaces. I've always been something of a field-woman in this group."

"Oh, I see..." Lillie muttered, gently touching her piercing as she lamented their conversation the last time they were in this spot. She was broken out of her trance quickly, however, when Plumeria called out her Golbat. "You ready, kid?" she asked. The young girl nodded, pointing at the Golbat without glancing at either of her pokémon. "Cleffy, you're up first." Cleffa stepped forward, her determination stamped on her face. Plumeria raised a brow at Lillie, "You sure about that, princess?"

Lillie nodded. Her hope had become her primary resolve. Any sense of doubt she normally would've felt in hearing the question didn't seem capable of registering. _So, guess it's time she_ _**also**_ _had a little lesson in humility_ Plumeria thought. She shook her head and smirked. Trainers and their pokémon really were all the same. "Alright then, princess. By all means, give me everything you got."

"Cleffy! Use magical leaf!" The tiny creature lifted it's stubby arms and let out a high-pitched war cry as it assaulted it's opponent viciously, sending countless leaves that were scattered about flying into it. The Golbat hissed in pain, but surprisingly it had been barely scratched. Lillie raised a brow at this, "That...barely did anything?" Plumeria rolled her eyes, "It's a flying type, you know. They don't really mesh well with grass types. You know, on account of the fact that they're twice as strong as grass types."

"R-Really?"

"Guess you don't know too much about type match-ups, do ya?"

"I...know a few things."

"Clearly you don't know nothin' about fairy types."

Lillie winced, "Why's...that...?"

"Golbat! Use Poison Fang!" Plumeria commanded. The Golbat swooped down, biting into Cleffa's skin and causing it to screech hysterically. It's opponent quickly released it and flew back to it's master. Cleffa twitched, and it's face tainted with purple as it began to feel horribly sick. "Cle...fy..." it gasped, still in pain and shock. Lillie gasped, "Cleffy!" Plumeria shook her head again, "Fairy types don't do so well against poison types, princess. You set yourself up for failure, having her challenge my Golbat. And by the looks of it, she'll only get worse. She's managed to poison her."

"No way...!" Lillie said, biting down on the nail of her thumb as she tried to think. Unfortunately, her knowledge of type match-ups was still poor. Her victory over the grunts was purely strength based, as it seemed most of them were out of shape. And her victory over Guzma's Masquerain was dumb luck at best. No matter how long or hard she thought, she wasn't capable of thinking of an answer she just didn't know about. All she could do was make guesses. And given that Cleffa was at a disadvantage, her only other option was...

"Come back, Cleffy. This fight's not for you, I'm afraid..." she said, reluctantly calling it back into it's ball. Herdier didn't need to look at it's trainer to know it was up, and pounced in front of Lillie eagerly. "Woof!" it barked, glaring challengingly at the Golbat. Plumeria wasted no time, once again commanding her Golbat to attack, "Confuse ray!" The Herdier was helpless to escape the harsh ray of light that flash in it's face and dazed it completely. All it could see were the faint images of Torchics floating about it's head as it's eyes swirled around in their sockets.

"Oh no! Herdier!" Lillie cried desperately. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to hear her as it groaned in a mix of bliss and confusion. "Come on, Herdier you gotta wake up! You have to attack!" Plumeria smirked as the girl's cries were in vain and once again sent her pokémon on an onslaught towards the poor dog. "Golbat, Poison Fang, again!" Herdier yelped, but wasn't awoken from it's euphorically confused state as the Golbat bit into it. Thankfully, it seemed that no toxins had infected the mutt, though it was still left damaged.

"Well well well, you got lucky this time. But I wonder, how will you get it to listen to you~?" Plumeria taunted. Lillie pondered this question. _How_ _**do**_ _I get him to listen? He's on a completely different planet right now!_ she panicked. What was she meant to do in a situation like this? She was at a complete disadvantage. Was it even possible for her to win? _I wonder what the boss would do...if_ _**he**_ _were here right now..._ she lamented, trying her best not to let Plumeria see her doubt, but failing miserably. Then, she recalled a piece of advice Plumeria had given her that night just a couple days ago.

_"You ever played poker, kid?"_

_"N...No. I'm not old enough to-"_

_"It was a trick question. Of course you've never played poker. Well, they tell you in poker to always have a straight laced face. Never show no emotion, not never."_

_"So...if I do that, it could help me win a battle?"_

_"Slow your roll, speedster. You kind of do the complete opposite. You never,_ _**never**_ _let them see your doubt. But you_ _**do**_ _let them see your cockiness, even if ya ain't really_ _**feeling**_ _cocky."_

_"But, what if I'm losing? What's the point in acting high and mighty if you're not that good of a trainer?"_

_"Think of it this way, princess; the more confident you act, the more confident you feel. And the more confident you_ _**feel**_ _, the better your gut feeling is. And the better your gut feeling is, the better chance you have at winnin' even if you've got dirt in your mouth and your nose is all broken."_

_"M-My nose could be broken?!"_

_"_ _ **Not**_ _the point, princess."_

_"R-Right...sorry!"_

_"It's true, you'd be a complete poser to a fault if you always did it. But you're only gonna do it until you can feel confident on a regular basis. Think of it as a little exercise. You know, like how doctors tell ya to take a deep breath when you're havin' a panic attack."_

Once again, she was filled with determination. _Right...confident! I just have to act confident! The more I pretend, the more I'll get used to it. Then I can really_ _**feel**_ _confident. And I can win!_ she concluded, her previously worried looking becoming less afraid. Plumeria could tell what had just happened, and smiled, "Maybe next time don't be so late to the draw. I know you're fakin' it, princess." Lillie smirked, "Are you sure about that? Maybe I'm in a good mood today." Plumeria couldn't help but return the young girl's snide look.

_You little shit~!_ she praised her pupil, mentally.

"Herdier! Pull yourself together! Use tackle!" Lillie commanded. Somehow, despite it's uncoordinated and turn-around movements, it managed to pull off the move. Granted, it could still not tell left from right or up from down, and the hit it landed was pure luck. Something that seemed to follow it's master into battle lately. The Golbat hissed in annoyance, and was left with a bruise on it's wing, causing it's movements to slow. The Herdier's once dopey demeanor began to sink back into battle-mode as it began to growl and try to look around for it's opponent.

"You got lucky, but eventually that luck is gonna run out, kid. Golbat, wing attack!" The Golbat swooped down and knocked the mutt back with it's wings, sending it onto it's back. For a brief moment, all parties believed it to be fainted, but instead, it stared up at it's master. It blinked, and Lillie noticed it's eyes were no longer wobbling all over the place. Despite it's scratches and bruises, it barked gleefully and pounced back onto it's feet with incredible energy. "Herdier! You're back!" she cheered, turning her focus back to her opponent quickly.

"Alright! Let's see if we can finish this, after all! Herdier, use Bite!"

"Golbat, Poison Fang!"

The two pokémon charged at each other, as the Golbat swooped down again and the Herdier leaped upwards towards it. Time seemed to slow down as the two pokémon both bit into each other with great force, and each were clearly in pain from the contact. They crashed down to the floor together hard, and both trainers approached them slowly. They had released each other as soon as they had hit the ground, and both were face down. Covered in scratches and bruises, for a moment, it seemed that they had _both_ been knocked unconscious.

But slowly, the Golbat managed to lift itself up, groaning and hissing in pain. Lillie turned over her Herdier to find it's eyes were swirled and once again it was dazed, but this time, out cold. Plumeria scooped up her Golbat, cradling it for a moment before calling it back into it's ball. She put her hands on her hips and she looked completely shocked. "Well, I'll be damned. He _almost_ got her," she stated. Lillie smiled, petting her Herdier gently before calling it back into it's ball. "You did a good job, buddy. You and Cleffy both should rest."

"Well, you still got some ironing out to do. As expected."

"Yeah..." Lillie sighed, hanging her head with shame.

"...Come inside with me. We'll talk match-ups while the kids heal up our partners."

"R-Really? Thank you, Plumeria!"

Plumeria waved her hand at her as she rolled her eyes, "Don't sweat it, kid. Now c'mon. You look like you could use a soda." Lillie nodded, picking herself up and following her mentor back inside the town. Plumeria didn't notice, but she glanced nervously at the hollowed home she had been sleeping in up till now. Silently, mentally, she prayed that Nebula wasn't bouncing around or Arceus forbid, exploring. Her worries would not calm until she returned home that night. Ah, how fussy she was. And old habit that if it ever perished, would do so with great difficulty.

\---

It had been mostly still and silent for most of the night. Save of course for the gentle snores of the boys's pokémon. Hau's Litten and Pichu rested protectively beside the egg that laid atop the motel bed, and Null slept a little ways away from the boys who were both on the floor beside each other. Hau was by no means a light sleeper himself. Sometimes he snored thunderously in his rest but this was not one of those nights. Tonight, strangely enough, it was a certain elder blonde boy that made a ruckus that stirred his younger companion. 

Hau had grown somewhat used to Gladion's night terrors by now. He hadn't seen anything particularly violent or loud yet, but that would change today. He rubbed at his eyes as the older boy's quiet mumbling started to become more loud and panicked. He was still processing that he was awake when suddenly their shared blanket was torn to one side. Litten and Pichu began to stir at the commotion as Hau sat up, a bit more awake than he was before.

"Gladion...?" he whispered. He didn't want to say anything that may alarm him or make things worse. Sometimes Gladion would register Hau's voice and presence but not wake up. Usually, however, he had to be forcefully woken to achieve any sense of peace. There was no coherent answer that told Hau this was one of those times. It didn't take him long to notice how erratically Gladion was moving and shaking. And he was speaking so loudly now you would think he was wide awake.

His Null had stirred at last and stood up, approaching the boys worriedly. Hau had never seen Gladion's terrors get quite this bad. He had been tentative about the possibility that eventually, he may get swatted at or attacked by him. But now that didn't really seem to matter. He just had to wake him up. If he got scratched or kicked in the process, then, well...so be it. He grabbed Gladion's shoulders and hoisted him up, shaking him to try and wake him. Though, gently, to begin with.

"Gladion. Gladion, hey! It's me, Hau! Remember?"

"No no no...don't do it, please!"

"It's not real, wake up!"

"Stop it! Please!"

"GLADION!"

Suddenly, the blonde pushed Hau off. Immediately, Litten and Pichu jumped to their feet, ready to defend their master. But Null stepped forward and grunted at them, causing them to calm themselves. Hau rubbed his head and groaned, "Sheesh...this just keeps getting harder than I can handle. Do you know how to wake him?" The Null didn't nod, only staring at Hau as if thinking of an answer. Or even a solution. An idea, perhaps? It turned to Litten again and grunted, and the pokemon began communicating again.

A few grunts and meows later, the Litten jumped off the bed, and used it's lick on Gladion's face. Miraculously, this woke the boy with a gasp. He was sweating, and his breathing was heavy and ragged. Hau got up and turned on the lights before approaching his companion, "Are you alright?" This seemed to snap the blonde out of his trance, as he pet his Null that had already begun nuzzling him. "I...w-was I...?" he began. Hau simply nodded, sitting beside the older boy quietly.

"It was...really bad this time. You kinda pushed me," Hau admitted. Gladion blushed in embarrassment, "I-I'm sorry, I-" Hau waved the apology off, "Hey, don't sweat it. I know you can't help it. You didn't even know it was me." Gladion's blush faded, but he still looked down with a shunned face. "...No...but I wish I did." Hau raised a brow at him curiously, before rubbing the back of his head anxiously, "Do...you wanna talk about it? Y-You don't have to, but...it might help."

To his surprise, the blonde nodded. "Wait... _really_?" he said, flabbergasted. The older boy took this poorly and looked down sheepishly, "O-Oh. Right. You were just being polite. I-I won't bother you-" Hau waved his hands in a panic, _Darn! I gotta learn to keep my mouth shut sometimes!_ "N-No! I just...didn't expect you to say yes is all. Y-You're not bothering me, really. In fact I'd feel way better if you told me. Maybe I could help you with it," he explained. Gladion nodded, continuing to pet Null for some comfort to both it's nerves and his own.

"I...I didn't mean to freeze up today. It just...happened." 

This answer had Hau confused as he titled his head, "What's that got to do with-" 

"My nightmares...usually they're about my mother. But, this one was... _different_."

"Really? What was it about if not your mom?"

The blonde slowly and hesitantly turned his head to look at Hau. His eyes glazed over, but he didn't cry. This time he'd managed to have a little self-control over that. "When...I rescued Null...originally, there were three of them," Gladion admitted, causing Hau's eyes to widen. _Three_ Type:Nulls? So this pokémon was indeed _not_ a legendary or mythical one. But the Foundation only had three. And before now he had never heard of or seen this pokémon. _Does that mean...?_ he didn't finish his thought before Gladion continued.

"But, as you can see...I only escaped with _one_ ," the older boy stated, solemnly. Hau nearly shivered at the implications of that fact alone. He had already began jumping the gun for conclusions. But there were still pieces missing, as with all things concerning Gladion's past. "What...what happened to them?" Hau asked, hesitantly. Gladion flinched, and his grip on his own Null got noticeably tighter. He resisted the urge to wrap both his arms around it to hold it closer to him. Though, his hand began to tremble.

"Th-the first...one...i-it bought us some time. It could be still imprisoned or _worse_."

"And...the other one?"

"..."

"Y-You don't have to talk about it if you don't want-"

"Do you remember...when I told you not to take Null's mask off?"

Hau pondered for a moment, before realizing that the older boy did in fact tell him this. Despite being told that the mask was meant to help, he never could help but feel like it was cruel to leave it on. Null seemed to not be bothered too much by it, but, there was no way that mask was the best thing for it. At least...not forever, right? "Yeah, I remember. You said it's supposed to keep it from hurting itself?" Gladion nodded, "It's got a special ability, it can transform it's type using discs I found in the lab. I didn't take them with me, but it wouldn't matter anyways. Right now...it can't use them at all."

"Why not?" Hau raised a brow, giving a soft look of pity to the older boy and his pokémon. "For one, this mask keeps it's face hidden. And I would need access to it to give it the discs it needs. And, for another thing...well, he just plain can't use them at all even if his mask wasn't there," he explained. "So...it _should_ be able to use them. Why can't it?" Hau prodded, he was leaning in a bit now, much like a child listening to a tall tale. "Well, it used to be able to. But during one of the Foundation's experiments, something went wrong."

Gladion looked at Null before continuing, "Like I've told you before, it can't handle it's own power anymore. So to keep it from killing itself or any living creature, it's been restricted." Hau gulped. He knew that Gladion had already agreed to talk about it, but a part of him still didn't want to ask the obvious question. One that had been lingering in his mind since he had first heard this detail about the Nulls. "And...what...what happens if you _do_ take it off?" he asked, almost in a whisper.

Gladion didn't speak for a moment, before clenching his shaking hand into a fist to try and steady it. He took a deep breath, before he hesitantly continued. "The second Null that I tried to take with me...we were surrounded. We only had one escape route and I couldn't possibly fight my way through it myself, neither of the Nulls could. They weren't strong enough so long as they had those masks on." Hau could already see where this was going. It was awful, it's something Gladion shouldn't have had to do. He _couldn't_ have had to do it.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. But it was the truth. No matter how much he hated it, how much he denied it. The truth would never change. This time, Hau was able to swallow that bitter pill just a bit more easily. Though, that wasn't saying much. "I d-didn't... _want_ to...! I _knew_ that it would _die_! But, it just..." Once again, Hau held out his hand to the older boy to console him. Gladion didn't even have to ask what he was doing this time. He already knew what he was offering. For once, though, he couldn't turn it down. Strangely, gripping onto Hau's hand _had_ offered him comfort. It didn't work as well as well for his anxiety like his tea, but it still made him feel better.

He took another deep breath. He wouldn't let himself cry, not this time. He didn't need to. The Null grunted low in a groan of mourning for it's fallen comrade, prompting his companion to continue petting it. Though this time, more to comfort _it_ rather than himself. "I didn't look back. I couldn't. I wanted to cover my ears...it sounded so horrifying. As much as I wanted to just give up right there, there was still one left. The other two had already given themselves up for our survival. I couldn't let it be in vain."

"Gladion...so, that's what your dream was about?" The blonde nodded, his grip on Hau's hand tightening just a little bit. "I...I froze up today because, the last time I gave a pokémon an order, that was it. I had told my Null to tear off the other's mask." It all made much more sense now, which Hau was more than thankful for. The more he understood, the more he'd be able to help Gladion. It wasn't going to be easy, and it _hadn't_ been easy so far. But things had been turning out well for them up to _this_ point, right?

"I see. So you felt like you might hurt somebody again. That's probably why your dream changed too, isn't it? You still feel guilty." Once again, Gladion was caught in awe of how accurately Hau could guess. He was beginning to question if he really _could_ read his mind. He wasn't sure about Null who was just as sorrowful as he was, but Gladion, like most of his struggles, didn't allow himself to mourn. He never let himself have a moment to do so. One thing was for sure, he would _never_ forgive himself.

"I've been screwing up so much lately. I lost the Nulls, I almost killed myself, and I nearly lost the egg today, too! It seems like every time I try to do something to help it just completely falls apart."

Hau's eyes widened a bit, "G-Gladion...! But, we got it back didn't we? It's safe now!"

"You're the whole reason I even got it back in the first place! Or that I didn't lose the last Null I had or, hell, even _myself_! You're...you're a far more capable person than I've ever been."

"Gladion, that's _not_ true!"

"Then what am I if I'm not even _that_?!"

"You're _you_. You're a grumpy, timid, and smart person. Yeah, you've screwed up a few times. Who _hasn't_? You don't have to keep blaming yourself for things out of your control, either. I told you, I'd help you, and I'm going to keep doing that, because like I told you it's just what friends do for each other."

"I know...but it just feels like all I do is make trouble for you."

Hau beamed, smiling warmly as he entwined their fingers even more, "Trouble is part of having an adventure! My trials would be _pretty_ boring if I didn't run into _some_ trouble. Besides, we beat those knuckleheads, didn't we? Sure, it's pretty scary now, but I'll bet even you will start to have fun with battles _some_ day."

Gladion blushed, keeping silent about their hands and instead offering a genuine smile. Hau noticed his eyelids start to fall, and it seemed his desire to sleep had finally overtaken his fear of having another nightmare. "Thank you, Hau. I...I hope so." Hau gasped lightly as the older boy fell forward into his chest and gripped onto his shirt. He was about to ask him what he was doing before Gladion quietly murmured, "Just...don't break...your promise...and I won't...break...mine..." Before he could even ask what he meant, Gladion was already softly snoring in a deep slumber.

Hau's face turned red and he began to sweat. He definitely didn't want to disturb his slumber, but he did want to lay back down to get to sleep himself. Gladion's Null nudged his cheek to get his attention, and Hau turned to look at him curiously. He didn't say anything, and only watched as Null pulled up the blanket with it's claw. Hau nodded, still contemplating how exactly to get into a more desirable position. Eventually, he worked up the courage to slowly re-position himself and Gladion onto the floor. 

The Pichu jumped onto Null's back, using it as a step ladder to turn off the lights before returning to the bed with Litten. Null laid down not too far from the boys, though much closer to the bed than it was before, before laying it's head down and closing it's eyes. Hau was still a somewhat flustered mess, despite his mission to lay down going off without a hitch. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he began to wonder why it was he was like this lately around his older friend. But the question just faded away as he began to drift off to sleep himself.

Unconsciously, he wrapped his arms around Gladion to keep him close, and the older boy just shifted comfortably into the embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bleeehhh, this chapter is short short short.
> 
> I'm hoping the next one isn't going to be as bare bones, but the last few have been pretty lengthy and full of development so I kind of took some liberties on this one. Don't worry, you guys will get plenty more action in the _next_ chapter.
> 
> By the way, thank you all again for your helpful and wonderfully constructed comments! I absolutely _love_ your feedback. Keep it comin', you guys really help to make this better!


	17. Chapter 16 - A Fateful Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plumeria sends Lillie off on her first field-mission and she runs into a particularly strong trial-goer.

It was another sunny day. The warm air only left a couple of the grunts sweating. Once again, the boss was holed up in his room with an unbearable hangover, and two of the grunts were stuck babysitting his Golisopod as it swam about in the pool while they filled it with water. Lillie was in her room, applying her makeup just as Plumeria had taught her by now. It was going to be another day of hard training, surely, but still she opted to look her best. This group was all about looks, and she wanted to uphold that standard.

Even if the others referred to her as "That goth". Nebby was watching her eagerly, having regained a bit more of it's energy. "Peeew~!" it chittered, seeming excited with it's master's routine. Lillie rolled her eyes but smiled, "Keep it down, Nebula. You still have to rest in the bag, after all. And don't leave it. It's dangerous." Nebby frowned and looked down dejectedly, sadly cooing in protest, "Pew..." Her soft side, though becoming more easy to control was still tough to pull out when it came to Nebby. She frowned, putting away her make up kit.

"I promise, you can come back out when we come home today. But I don't really feel comfortable leaving you alone in here right now. These jerks are way too snoopy," she pouted. Petting Nebby's head before guiding it into the open dufflebag. She zipped it up save for a small hole to allow her little friend to breathe as per usual. She had already packed her pokéballs inside, and finally she was ready to begin training. Hopefully Plumeria wouldn't be too interested in her carrying her bag with her today. She was confident there was no need to be suspicious, anyways.

Once she stepped outside, she did not have to search for long before her mentor had found her. "Hey! Princess! Over here!" she called, waving her hand at Lillie. The young girl approached Plumeria, smiling confidently, "Reporting for duty, ma'am! I'm ready to start my training!" Plumeria waved this statement off as her hand flapped at her dismissively, "No need." Before Lillie could ask what she meant, Plumeria grabbed her wrist and placed a pokéball in her hand. 

It wasn't a normal everyday pokéball, it was green with gold stripes running along the top of it. She stared at Plumeria with pure confusion. Plumeria smiled and put her hands on her hips, "Listen, kid. Now that you've got types down and you've wiped the floor with all the small fry, I think it's time we sent you into the field. And I ain't got all day to wait for the big palooka to get over his morning sickness." The young girl's eyes sparkled with flatter and gratitude, "P...Plumeria! I...t- _thank_ you! I won't let you down!"

Plumeria nodded, "I know you won't." Lillie looked down at the pokéball in her hand again curiously, "So...what pokémon _is_ this, exactly?" Plumeria rubbed the back of her head as she sighed, as if she had given this answer a thousand times, "It's a Fomantis. It's somethin' I hand out to _all_ the girls who prove themselves capable of handling field work. At least, any of 'em that have room or want it." Lillie nodded again as she looked up at her mentor again, "I see. Thank you. I'll take good care of it. So, where am I going exactly?"

Plumeria didn't say a word, beckoning Lillie to follow her. And follow she did, out the Po Town walls and right back to the beach where she had first arrived. Plumeria handed her a strange looking device, tapping on it's screen to show Lillie how it worked, "This here is a ride pager. Take a Charizard over to Melemele. Go on and beat up a bunch of trial-going newbies who look like they donno what they're doin'." Lillie gently took the pager after she was sure she understood how it worked. "How will I know?" she asked, calling for a Charizard using the screen.

"Trust me, you'll know. All trial-goers carry this ugly lookin' amulet. You'll notice them quick. They're all over the place, and Melemele is a pretty damn small island compared to the other ones. Just try not to draw too much attention to yourself, if the cops find ya it'll be bad news and game over," Plumeria explained. Lillie nodded all throughout to indicate she understood. Eventually, a large dragon-like creature emerged from the horizon with a bar handle and saddle device attached to it's back. In it's hand, it had what looked to be clothes, a helmet, and safetypads. 

Lillie took the clothes and put them away in her dufflebag, careful not to suffocate Nebby in the process. She took a couple minutes putting on the pads, and replaced the tiara on her head with a safety helmet. She turned to Plumeria and nodded once again, assuring her silently that she would come back with results she would be satisfied with. Without a word, Lillie boarded the Charizard's back and entered the destination into the pager. Plumeria waved as the girl and the dragon disappeared off the horizon. Just then, her phone buzzed, and she picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Where's the kid? I wanna talk to 'er."

"About that...maybe you wanna go back to bed. She's gonna be a little _busy_."

She could feel his eye twitch through the phone, "Dammit, Plum! You always do this!"

Plumeria rolled her eyes, " _Relax_. She'll be _fine_." She paused, "...Probably."

" _Pluuuummm_..."

"I'm just pullin' your leg, relax! I have a feeling she's gonna kick serious ass today. Just...trust me on this one."

She smirked, flipping the phone shut as she crossed her arms and stared off into the sky.

\---

It was astounding that Moon could sleep pretty much anywhere. It was a trait she picked up from her father. Ever since she was little, whether it was a wood floor or a cardboard box, she was much like a cat pokémon. Satisfied with any surface so long as she could lay down. She wiped the sweat from her brow. She had been in the meadow for a couple days now. As much as she wanted to get to Hala's trial, she was still finding herself waiting on the boys to catch up. Though, it just mean that Rotom could enjoy his time collecting data as Moon filled his dex.

She wouldn't wait too long for them, after all, she still wanted to be just a _little_ bit ahead. She imagined that after Ilima's trial they'd probably be a couple days behind her. Or for all she knew, they had complete passed the meadow. But what idiot in their right mind would do _that_? Of course, her journey forward was also held up by Aether hounds sniffing around the place and a certain gang of misfits that seemed to keep coming back no matter how many times she pounded them into the floor.

She wondered how the boys were doing. She wanted to tell them about the Skull Gang but, well, they had already rushed right out the door. They were capable, or at least, _Hau_ was capable. And she was confident any idiot with a level 5 pokémon could handle these morons running around in baggy clothes and stupid masks. She did them a silent favor as apology by beating up any Skull Gang lackies within her line of sight and shooing away the Aether Foundation just as she promised.

Today again, she would set off, confident that she had taken care of any complications the boys might have issues with. She had crawled into a cave area that was hidden in the meadows, so carefully, she traversed her way back out to the flower fields. Already, her Rotom had documented all manner of pokémon in the sickly sweet smelling flowerbeds. A cute bee pokémon the size of her thumb, a peppy bird that resembled a cheerleader you'd see in high school, and pokémon that resembled the flowers themselves.

The lively dex beeped and buzzed with excitement, babbling endlessly about the possibilities of new pokémon on the other islands. "You're so close to the Grand Trial, Moon, zzt! Do you thi-i-ink -Zzt!- there'll be any rare pokémon on Akala?" Moon rolled her eyes, "Gee, Rotom, I donno. Maybe the island Tapu is gonna be on vacation when we get there." Rotom's face moved from left to right, simulating shaking it's head no, "No no no, I don't mean _legendary_ pokémon. I mean my-y-ythical pokémon! Zzt!"

"There's a difference?" she snarked, holding in her laughter. Rotom pouted but didn't bother retorting to the obvious sarcastic remark. "There's been so many unique and colorful entries already! You're really good at this! I see why Kukui picked you to update my database!" he complimented. She smiled, "Why, thank you. But flattery will get _you_ no where." Eventually, the duo made it outside the meadow's entrance. The trail back to Iki Town was not very long now. It would at most take them an hour to get home.

They kept walking, a bridge just up ahead. It reminded Moon of her first time meeting the boys. Once again, she found herself wondering about how they were doing. They were certainly a strange pair. She wondered if Hau ever noticed how often Gladion was staring at him, or if Gladion noticed how touchy Hau was with _him_. Maybe they did notice and just didn't mind. She smiled to herself thinking about what a cute couple they would make. Suddenly, from around the corner of the stone wall that narrowed the path, a girl emerged.

"Hey. You."

Moon stopped, raising her brow at the girl. Her gothic appearance was ruined only by her bright blonde hair and vibrant green eyes. Granted, the highlight in her braid was just as tacky as the rest of her outfit, but the most peculiar part of her appearance was her strangely unfitting dufflebag. It was a white and grey color, a pokéball design on it's side. She glared down Moon with a malice that wasn't common amongst friendly competition, something she also ran into a lot the past couple days.

No...she was different. That's when her eyes landed on a medallion that flickered in the sunlight. "You're...with the Skull Gang," Moon breathed, immediately taking out her pokéball and meeting the girl with a hostile demeanor. "How many of you clunks do I gotta knock out before you get it already? Why don't you skedaddle on home to your mommy and daddy before you get hurt?" The girl's glare became much harsher and she growled in irritation.

"I'm not like my stupid, over-confident colleagues. And I was about to say the same thing to _you_ , poser. I've been knocking you so-called trial-goers into the floor like you're drunk or something," she hissed. Rotom hid behind Moon, trembling only slightly at her appearance and tone, "Zzt! She's t-terrifying...!" Moon rolled her eyes. "It would seem we're at an impasse. Why don't we cut the smack-talk and actually prove which one of us is more capable here?"

The girl smirked, "That's the most enticing thing I've heard all day." The girl tossed her pokéball into the air, and out popped a Herdier that barked fiercely, ready to battle as it's tail wagged and it growled. Moon tossed her own pokéball, crying out as her pokémon appeared in a beam of light, "Come out, Meowth! Let's kick some tail!" The snooty pokémon flipped it's whiskers before holding it's signature pose, looking down on the Herdier with a sense of class.

"Herdier! Use bite!" The mutt wasted no time dashing forward and biting the Meowth with full force. However, the attack barely left a scratch as it kicked it off to free itself. "Damn...it's resistant to dark types," the blonde cursed under her breath. Moon raised a brow at her, "Some pro _you_ are. Meowth _is_ a dark type, you dunce." The girl smirked, "Is that so?" Moon bit her tongue as Rotom bounded out from behind her and flailed his limbs, "Moon! Don't get so cocky! You just gave away your advantage!"

The girl called back her pokémon quickly, instead throwing a small Cleffa into the fray. It glared down the Meowth with strange fury, much more than you'd expect to see in most battling pokémon. Moon couldn't help but compare it's spirit to that of a pokémon like Machamp. "Cleffy! Use Sweet Kiss!" Moon acted quickly, shouting her first command to her pokémon, "Fake out!" The Cleffa didn't have time to act before the Meowth suddenly approached it with unbeatable speed, flicking it in the face and knocking it onto it's butt.

"Cleff!" it cried, rubbing the spot it had been flicked upon. The physical contact brought about a familiar pain that made it pout. Moon put her hands on her hips, "You got a name, little miss emo?" The girl glared at her, but to Moon's surprise, she answered honestly, "My name is Lillie. But you won't remember anything but the pain of your loss anyways, so it's not like it matters." She pointed at the Meowth, "Cleffy! Again! Use Sweet Kiss!" The Cleffa pounced forward, attempting to catch it's opponent off-guard.

Miraculously, it dodged, and the Cleffa was left face-first in the dirt road. Once again, the Meowth mockingly flipped it's whiskers at it as it meowed in a chortle. "Meowth! Fury Swipes!" Moon commanded. Quickly, the Meowth mercilessly pounced on it's opponent and scratched it seemingly almost non-stop. After four swipes to the small creature, it bounced back. The Cleffa was left covered in scratches, but it managed to stand without difficulty. It growled lowly, "C...Cleeefff..."

"Cleffy! Use Pound!" The Cleffa charged forward at Lillie's command, hitting the Meowth with full force as it knocked into it with one of it's horns. "Cleff!" it cried, as the Meowth stumbled back with a new mark on it's cheek. "Mrrrooowww..." it hissed, seeming displeased that it had been scuffed. Rotom trembled with excitement but also slight worry at the Meowth's sudden change in attitude. Most cat pokémon were prideful about appearances, but Alolan Meowths were notorious for having easily wounded prides. Unbeknownst to him and Moon, Meowth would get along perfectly with Hau's Litten on _that_ front.

"Uh oh...zzt! It looks a little mad!" Rotom mused. "Meowth! Use Growl!" Moon commanded. But unfortunately, it seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. The Meowth's angry look only intensified, as it darted forward and scratched the Cleffa once again. This time, a single swipe and by no means an onslaught, but it was still a strong swipe. The small pink pokémon tumbled into the floor again and only barely managed to pick itself up. "C-Cleeeffff...yyyy..." it groaned, straining to keep it's eyes open.

Moon and Rotom were nearly twinning in their looks of worry at the Meowth's sudden disobedience. Moon even began to sweat a bit, forcing a strained smile as she held up her arm in unconscious defense of herself, "E-Er...Meowth, I...I said to _growl_ , not _smack_ it." Lillie pouted and rolled her eyes, "How poorly trained. Guess you really _are_ an amateur." Moon's worry melted back into irritation and anger at the remark, "Hey! That hit has you in a corner, you know! Your Cleffa is just _barely_ able to stand!"

"True, but your Meowth is barely able to _focus_ ," Lillie stated, pointing at the Meowth again as she commanded her pokémon, "Cleffy! Use Magical Leaf!" Leaves gathered from cracks and crevices around the area, zipping their way into Meowth with full force. This only served to make it angrier, and it hissed loudly. It was covered in scratches, and one of it's whiskers had been bent out of place. A simple flick of it's wrist would definitely not repair this.

"Growl!" Moon commanded once again, but the Meowth was deaf to her voice. It hissed violently at her, becoming completely ornery and hostile. "Rotom, what the hell is going on? Why is it acting like this?!" Moon panicked. Rotom's screen flickered with the entry containing the Meowth it had registered previously. "When a Meowth's de-e-elicate pride is wounded, or when the gold coin on its fo-o-orehead is dirtied, it flies into a hysterical rage!" Rotom explained, repeating the data on the screen.

"Oh... _shit_! Seriously?!" Moon asked, feeling even more nervous now than she was before. Even from behind, she could see it's coin had a stray leaf stuck to it. She tried to approach it, but once again, it hissed at her angrily. Without even waiting for her to repeat herself, the Meowth darted forward, it's claws out and ready to attack it's opponent. "Now! Use Sweet Kiss!" Lillie shouted, just as the Meowth pounced. Cleffa leaped up and placed a gentle kiss on the Meowth's cheek.

Suddenly, it's twisted and disgruntled expression became completely blank as it fell to the ground on all fours. It sat silently, tilting it's head as it meowed quietly to itself. Moon raised a brow, "It...stopped?" Rotom floated a bit closer, his camera ready to document anything spectacular. Suddenly, the Meowth's eyes began boggling around and it wobbled backwards. "Mrrrooowwww....?" it purred, completely dazed and befuddled. Rotom immediately piped up.

"It's confusion! Meowth can't tell up from down right now!" he cried. Moon growled, "Dammit...! Meowth can barely keep it together between the prideful act and now _this_." Hesitantly, she held up it's pokéball and called it back. Quickly, she tossed another ball into the fray, this time summoning her trusty partner, Popplio. "Ar ar~!" it cheered, clapping it's fins together excitedly. Lillie raised a brow at this, "A Popplio, huh? I've seen a few of _those_ around here today."

"Why exactly are you going after trial-goers, anyways? What's your gain in crushing our spirit?" Moon asked, agitated with her opponent. "None of your business. You talk too much. You _and_ your annoying robot," she vexed. Rotom pouted at this, "I-I'm not a robot! I'm a Pokémon!" Lillie rolled her eyes and scoffed, "Oh my Arceus... _nobody cares_!" Moon took the opportunity to catch her opponent off-guard, immediately giving Popplio it's first order, "Popplio! Aqua Jet!"

As a tunnel of water manifested, the Popplio launched itself full-force into the Cleffa who was unable to dodge. Lillie gasped, and was forced to call back her Cleffa who could no longer battle. As she called back her Herdier, she glared at Moon but didn't speak. Moon raised a brow at her, "What? You upset that I played dirty? You skull punks don't get to complain when you harass innocent trainers and steal their pokémon! And for what? So you can prove to your parents that you're not failures?"

"HERDIER! TAKE DOWN!" The blonde girl shouted, seeming completely enraged at the jab. The mutt tossed itself full-force into the sea-lion pokémon who cried out in pain. "Ar!" It rolled along the ground before pulling itself back up. Both itself and Herdier were left with bruises and scuffs, but they were still standing. "Blast him with Disarming Voice!" Moon commanded, and the Popplio let out a cry with such force that the sound waves knocked the Herdier back.

It was severely damaged now, and it was much like it's companion in battle had been just a few moments ago; beaten and near the brink of fainting. Much like Moon's Meowth, Lillie's rage had clouded her judgement. She tried to calm herself, tried to think carefully about how to go about this. But mentally, she couldn't help but panic. The entire day, she hadn't come across a trainer, let alone a trial-goer that was even half as strong as this. Just who _was_ this girl?

She wiped the sweat from her brow, her breathing ragged from the emotion that was coursing through her. Her eyes narrowed. She wouldn't give up just yet. If she could just land a critical blow, she might be able to make it through this in one piece. Sure, there was still the girl's Meowth, but she doubted even without the confusion it would be able to obey properly. She nodded, pointing at the Popplio as she ordered her Herdier's next attack, "Hit it with Tackle!"

Once again, Popplio was knocked back by the Herdier's full-body force. This time, only the Popplio was left with knock-back from it, however. The two girls stared at the pokémon, leaning in anxiously. Slowly, it picked itself up, opening one eye and growling at the Herdier in agitation. "Arrr..." it muttered, slowly but surely getting itself up before Moon smirked with satisfaction and nodded. "Let's finish this, girl..." she whispered, before glaring with determination as she pointed at the Herdier one last time.

"Finish him off with Water Gun!" she demanded. Sucking in air briefly, the small sea-lion blasted a stream of water out of it's mouth at the Herdier with full force, knocking it onto it's back. Once the water stopped, the Popplio breathed heavily and Rotom floated a bit closer to observer the un-moving mutt. Swirled eyes spoke the final result, and Rotom beamed victoriously, "Popplio wins! Herdier is unconscious and unable to battle!" The Popplio smiled and jumped into the arms of it's trained excitedly.

Lillie quickly called back her Herdier, glaring at Moon intensely. Rotom retreated behind his travel companion nervously as she growled. "You...you're gonna regret messing with me! Who are you?!" she hissed. Moon smirked snidely at her, "The name's _Moon_ , sweetheart. But you probably won't remember anything but the pain of your loss anyways, so it's not like it _matters_." She stuck her tongue out mockingly, and the blonde's face turned red before she pouted adorably, ruining any intimidating air she wanted to achieve.

Moon, Popplio, and Rotom stood by and watched as she stormed off into the distance. Once she was out of sight, Moon put Popplio down and began treating it's wounds with the medicine she had on hand, feeding it pokébeans and petting it as a reward for it's hard work. "Say, Moon, did you notice something odd about that girl? Zzt!" Rotom pondered, a question mark wobbling back and forth on his screen. Moon rolled her eyes, "You mean like her _hideous_ choice in fashion?"

"I guess it's just my ima-a-agination, then..." he said, though he sounded unconvinced by his own words. Moon ignored him, calling back her Popplio and releasing her Meowth. She put on her most cross expression as she put her hands on her hips. She glared down at him with an intense fury and impatience that made it feel unbearable shame. It hung it's head, shunned completely by it's rude behavior. Gently, she cleaned up the wounded feline and brushed the leaf off of his precious coin.

"Meow?" it mewed, looking up at her curiously. Moon shook her head, "You gotta learn to keep that temper of yours in check. We almost got our butts handed to us thanks to you." Once again it hung it's head in shame. Slowly, she sighed, and reached into her bag. " _But_...you _did_ do a lot of damage that helped us out. So...good job. But next time..." she held out a pokébean before continuing, the Meowth's head raising to look at it timidly, "...just, listen to what I tell you. Alright?"

Carefully and hesitantly, the Meowth grabbed onto the bean and stared down at it. It looked up at it's master again, nodding, before nibbling into the tasty treat. Moon smiled and scratched underneath it's chin as it snacked on the pokébean. Once it finished, she called it back and stood up straight. "Alright, now then, before we were so _rudely_ interrupted..." she said, turning to Rotom. He was still calculating to himself, but her obvious call of his attention snapped him out of it.

"O-Oh! Right! Let's go see your mom, then! I'm sure she'll be excited to hear what we've been up to! Zzt!"

"Yeah, I'm sure she will. And just wait till she gets a load of _this_ story."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woot woot! Moon's back!
> 
> It only took me four hours to write this one but hey, who needs sleep anyways? :D


	18. Chapter 17 - What Is This Feeling?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion's egg finally hatches, allowing the boys to resume their travels up to Melemele Meadow. On the way, they run into some new pokémon.

It had been two days now. The egg had been sitting perfectly still on a cushy pillow atop the bed. Nervously, Pichu, Litten, and Null all stared at it. Their masters were both asleep, but that was to be expected in the early morning hours. Pichu had learned by now not to touch the fragile shell protecting the fragile contents. After it's battle to defend it from the brutish grunts, it seemed to understand finally just how important it was it be careful. Pichu and Litten both had been anxious, despite their master's travel companion assuring them it was un-damaged.

Null, however, seemed antsy about how long it was taking to hatch. Deep down, it wondered if there was indeed something wrong with it. It recalled the rambling and panicked cries of the smaller pokémon as they retold the terrifying events of their day upon being called back into the motel room. At first, it assumed that all motels looked the same, but when it had gotten the two children to calm down it found that once again it had to lay in wait. Not that it minded, of course. Though it was relieved and prideful to hear Pichu and Litten worked together to protect the egg.

But it was also filled with a sense of worry at the detail that these thugs were apparently looking for a rare pokémon. That they were after it's master. That couldn't be any good news. Least of all for Null. Right now, though, it would worry about the egg. All three pokémon were united in their task. Despite Gladion's instructions, they still felt responsible full-time, even when their masters were around to handle everything. Though, that was just in the nature of pokémon it seemed. Much like "The Mothering Effect" with humans, pokémon too, were affected by the responsibility of an egg.

Suddenly, Pichu's ear twitched. It turned around to see the boys stir from their sleep. They had slept far apart from each other last night, after waking up entangled in each other's arms just the other day. They were both horribly embarrassed, and they mostly avoided each other for the day. Something that Null rolled it's eyes at while the children tilted their heads in curiosity. Gladion got up first, approaching the bed while petting Null gently, "Anything yet, guys?" Null shook it's head, and the two smaller pokémon copied it's movements with frowns on their faces.

Hau smiled kindly as he sat up, "Hey, don't worry. It'll _definitely_ hatch today. It almost _never_ takes more than 2 days." Gladion seemed to hold back his obvious concern about the possible ever, but he bit his tongue. "I hope you're right..." he muttered, scratching his head. His bangs were disheveled again, but he didn't really care. Carefully, he picked up the egg and held it. He had done this the day before, and he wasn't particularly doing it to check on anything. It just calmed his nerves a little, even if they were locked up safe in their motel room and it was always in plain sight.

For a brief moment, his eyes widened a bit. Did...did it move? It couldn't have, could it? Maybe he was just imagining it. He _did_ just wake up after all. The pokémon on the bed perked up, their ears twitching. Null raised it's head at it's master curiously. It was silent...and then the egg began rapidly shaking in Gladion's hands, causing him to shout in surprise. The pokémon gapped and made noises of excitement and surprise. Hau instantly jumped to his feet, and Gladion turned to him, "Th-the egg!" A wide grin spread across Hau's face as his eyes sparkled with joy.

"Oh my Arceus...! Gladion, it's _hatching_!" he squeaked excitedly. This did nothing to calm Gladion, and suddenly he was feeling incredibly unprepared, "Wh-what do I do?!" Hau instantly snapped back to reality, and quickly pulled up the pillow on the bed. "H-Here, put it on this!" he directed, Gladion quickly putting the egg back where it was. Litten and Pichu backed away, but they did not get off the bed. All the pokémon, and their masters, could only stare in awe and anxiety as it continued to wobble and shake.

Then, a crack began to form as the sound of something inside whacking against it's prison was heard. Again, the crack expanded as the sound repeated. Pichu mirrored it's master's wide grin as Litten's tail swayed with anticipation. Null grunted nervously, nudging Gladion's hand that was still placed on it's head. Suddenly, the top of the egg popped off and whacked Hau right in the face, sending him to the floor. It pulled Gladion out of his trance and he reluctantly tore his eyes off the egg for a moment to check on the young boy.

"Ah! Hau! A-Are you alright?!" he knelt down, his hands hovering and seeming unsure of what to do. Hau sat up, rubbing his head and groaning. He had a sheepish look on his face as he rubbed the now sore spot on his forehead. "Y-Yeah...I'm fine. How's the egg?" he asked. Immediately, Gladion turned away from Hau and looked towards the bed. It was a little small, but he could see the head of a tiny pokémon. He approached the bed slowly in order to get a better look. The small pokémon stared at Gladion intently, and the blonde blinked back at it.

The infant reached up it's paws, struggling to pull itself out. It managed to grab onto the edges, but it's weight caused the egg to tumble forward and the creature spilled out onto the pillow. It squeaked in surprise, but not pain, "Pip...!" Now that it was completely visible, the boys and the other three pokémon took a moment to observe it. It had the overall appearance of a baby fox, but it's coloring was a deep and dark black. It was incredibly fluffy, even the top of it's head, with a tuft of hair that was tipped with red that resembled a flame.

The tips of it's paws were red as well, and it's turquoise eyes had matching crimson spots above them. And it's tail and chest were particularly poofy and fluffed. Upon first look, neither boy knew what pokémon this was at all. Gladion had definitely never seen one of it's kind before. After it's tumble out of the egg, Gladion stepped closer to the bed, squatting down to meet it's eyes. Slowly and gently, he reached out his hand, gaining the infant pokémon's attention as he spoke, "H...H-Hey there, little fella. My name's Gladion."

The dark pokémon stared at his hand for a moment, before sniffing it carefully. Slowly, it pulled it's legs that were still slumped inside the egg free from it's former cage as it kicked the hard shell back and out of the way. It stood up, inching a bit closer but never stepping off the pillow to smell the blonde's hand. After a moment of silence, it nuzzled his hand lovingly and whimpered for attention. He couldn't help it, Gladion burst into a smile of relief as he pet the small creature gently. He breathed out a sigh of relief, and Hau grinned again.

"So cool...!" he squealed. Gladion's smile turned sheepish as the pokémon stared up at him again, "H-Hello to you to. Er...a-alola, I suppose." He held out his other hand, beckoning it to come closer to him. "Come here..." he whispered, gently. The tiny, black fox tilted it's head at him curiously, as if it was contemplating whether or not it trusted him. The blonde's smile faltered a bit. He was starting to feel that nagging anxiety in the back of his head again. All was quiet. Not even the other pokémon were making a sound.

Then, suddenly, the infant jumped up with a gleeful smile and hopped into Gladion's chest as it cried out in acceptance. "Zor!" Gladion cried out in surprise and his eyes widened again, but he caught the small pokémon before it fell off of him. Cradling it gently, he stared at it in disbelief, "C-Careful!" Hau couldn't help but smile as he approached the older boy. "Woah...it really likes you!" he said, his smile becoming a smirk as he gently knocked at Gladion's arm with his fist before he continued, "And here you were worried you wouldn't be a very good trainer! It already can't get enough of ya!"

Gladion's smile returned, and he couldn't help but blush. As he continued cradling the small pokémon he finally took in how healthy and full of life it was. He felt completely relieve, "It's perfectly healthy. Thank Arceus...I was worried something would be wrong with it after the Skull Gang manhandled it like that." Hau chuckled, "It sure is energetic for just being born, isn't it?" The older boy nodded, only halfly not quite listening to what Hau said, "Yeah...yeah, it is." Litten and Pichu finally dared to inch forward, curiously sniffing and staring at the small black bundle.

"I think _someone's_ excited to meet the new member of the crew," Hau teased. Carefully and slowly, Gladion placed the infant back onto the bed, where the two curious pokémon began communicating with and observing it. Eventually, they exchanged smiles and the boys could tell they were welcoming the child with great enthusiasm. Finally, Null slowly sniffed at the small pokémon as well. It gave the newborn a moment to approach it on it's own terms. After all, it was incredibly large and intimidating to a baby such as this.

The black and red bundle sniffed at Null for a few minutes, before barking excitedly and wagging it's tail at it. Once again, a slew of noises indicated their communication. Once they were finished, Gladion grabbed his satchel and pulled out a pokéball. Hau began talking to the baby as well, still curious about it, "Sooo, what's your name little guy?" The small fox sat down, staring up at Hau curiously but excitedly, "Zor! Zorua!" Gladion approached the two with his brow raised, "Zor...ua? I definitely haven't heard of it before."

Litten, Pichu, and Null all stepped back as they spotted the pokéball, and Gladion leaned down to the infant. "Hey, you wanna come travel with me? I'll take good care of you," Gladion offered, allowing the child to observe the ball in his hand. It sniffed at it for a moment, before hopping with joy and barking in approval. The boy nodded, pushing the button on the front. He tossed it in the air, the pokémon leaped up as it was consumed in a beam of light just before the ball snapped shut. It landed softly on the bed, wobbling a few times before it clicked.

The older boy picked up the ball, placing it back in his satchel bag while Hau shuffled the remains of the egg into the trash can. "Alright! Now we can finally head out for Melemele Meadow!" he said, putting on his backpack as Gladion secured his satchel around his shoulder. He called Null back into it's ball while Hau did the same for Pichu and the boys put their remaining pokéballs away. Litten leaped off the bed, it's tail swaying with newfound energy and determination. It stretched out it's legs, yawning as it did so.

Hau chuckled, "Yeah, I bet you've been dying to stretch your legs, huh, buddy?" The Litten nodded, mewing with certainty. Hau turned to the older boy, noticing his bangs were still tangled and messy. Hesitantly, he picked up the brush, and once again helped straight out his long bangs. This time, the boys were a little less embarrassed. After everything until now, they were a lot more comfortable with each other. Eventually, Hau finished, putting the brush back down and heading for the door. Gladion followed carefully, grabbing his left wrist unconsciously.

Without wasting another moment, the boys and Litten set off once again to head up the trail to Melemele Meadow. Gladion's obvious cautiousness with his bag did not go un-noticed as they walked. His grip on the strap wrapped around him was tight, and he was acting rather sheepish. But Hau could only smile at how adorable it was. Once they had again reached the entrance area of Verdant Cavern, a familiar flamboyant face met them. He waved, still carrying himself with unbeatable levels of style, "Alola, you two! Are you finally heading off for Melemele Meadow?" Hau nodded, "Yeah! It's been a little hectic, but we're ready now."

"I see, I see. Well you two have fun! Oh and, good luck to you on your Grand Trial with the old man, Hau. He's a toughie!" Ilima giggled, signaling to a man behind him that was perched in front of what looked to be some kind of barricade. Hau raised a brow at this, "What's the barricade for?" Ilima sighed, "Dreadful, isn't it? Don't tell anyone I told you this, but there are some ruffians floating around Melemele lately and troubling trial-goers. Now we have to keep careful watch for anyone suspicious. Some of them started stealing amulets off of the poor kids."

"R-Really? That's so mean! Well, we'll be careful about them, Ilima. Promise," Hau assured, and Ilima nodded in satisfaction. "I'm sure you will, Hau. Farewell. You as well, Hanini. Have a safe journey!" He waved again as the boys began towards the barrier. Suddenly, however, Hau stopped Gladion as he grabbed his wrist gently and pointed. "Hanini, wait. Look! There's more berries over there!" he pointed out, excitedly. The blonde rolled his eyes, "Fine, I'll carry some for you. But don't take too many. I'm serious."

Hau nodded, and the two approached the pile of berries that were nestled under a palm tree. Hau reached out, this time putting his hand _inside_ to fish out something inside. However, after a few seconds of swirling his hand around inside, the pile began to rumble. Immediately, the younger boy pulled his hand out and backed away and Litten jumped back with a hiss. For a moment, it seemed like the pile had detonated as the berries all went flying to the ground. However, in the middle where they had been previously was an agitated pokémon.

It much resembled a crab, but it was purple and blue, it's giant fists raised up like a boxer preparing for a fight. It glared up at the boys, seeming irritated. "W-Woah! Cool! A Crabrawler!" Hau beamed, as Gladion raised his brow at him. "A Crabrawler? Is it a fighting type?" Hau nodded, "Mm! Tutu has it's evolution, it's called Crabominable. They're really cool!" He pointed at it, his Litten easing up a bit to prepare itself for yet another battle. "Use Leer!" Litten glared down the Crabrawler, and the crab pokémon shuffled back a bit, seeming un-nerved by it's gaze.

It took a moment for the Crabrawler to retaliate, but as soon as it composed itself, it shot an array of bubbles into the feline that sent it flying onto it's back. The Litten cried out in pain, and the attack left it with quite a few bruises. It struggled a bit to pull itself back up, and it mewed in annoyance. "Aw crap! I forgot, Crawbrawlers can have water type attacks!" Quickly, he called back his Litten and pulled out his Pichu. "How's _that_ gonna help?" Gladion asked, knowing full-well Pichu had nothing in particular over the Crabrawler.

"It's not all that strong against fighting types, but that goes the same way for Crabrawler, in a way. It'll be a somewhat even match," Hau explained. Still, it seemed the blonde failed to understand, "So _how_ are you going to beat it?" Hau shook his head, winking at his older companion, "I'm not _going_ to beat it. I'm gonna _catch_ it." Once again, he turned his attention to his opponent as he directed his Pichu towards the Crabrawler, "Hit him with Thunder Shock!" A bolt of lightning came down on the hostile pokémon and left it scratched.

The dent in it's defense had helped to carry the attack's weight much more easily, but still, it didn't do anything special. The now agitated pokémon darted forward and socked Pichu square in the jaw, sending him back a couple feet. "Pi!" it cried, a newly formed bruise on it's chin. It stood up again, it's cheeks sparking with anger. "Piiii...!" it grunted, slowly standing back up on it's two feet. "Again!" Hau commanded, and Pichu repeated it's previous attack, this time the Crabrawler was scratched up significantly.

Pichu had managed to hit a sweet spot, gaining critical damage. However, the opposing pokémon was still standing. Hau quickly jumped on the opportunity, pulling out a white and blue pokéball with patterns that resembled a splash of water on it. Pichu jumped back as it's master tossed the ball at the Crabrawler, causing the pokémon to be consumed in a beam of light. The ball landed and rolled a bit before it began to wobble violently. The boys and Pichu stared in anticipation, all three of them had sweat running down their faces in anticipation.

Suddenly, it stopped wiggling. And there was a long, silent pause. Then, it clicked. The blonde sighed in relief, as Hau and his pokémon cheered victoriously with matching grins. Eagerly, Hau picked up the ball and put it in his bag. The younger boy turned to look at Gladion, who was smirking with his arms crossed, "You're pretty good at this, huh?" Hau nodded, "Yup!" Putting his bag on the ground, he began tending to his pokémon's wounds. Once he was done, his Pichu was back in it's ball and Litten was swaying it's tail impatiently.

"Alright, well, now that _that's_ over with..." Gladion said, leaning down and picking up one of the scattered berries and putting it in his satchel. Hau quickly followed his lead, grabbing two more and handing them to the blonde where he stashed them away with the other in his bag. Once everything was secured, they began for the trail up to Melemele Meadow once again. Grass withered away as all the was left was pure dirt. It was particularly beaming down with heat, and it was a pretty rocky-looking area. Hau could see easily a few low-flying bird pokémon that were just waiting for any unsuspecting trainer to enter their line of sight.

There were two paths, separated by a rocky wall. The more narrow one was definitely more dangerous and difficult to traverse, but the other one wasn't quite a luxury either. Hau gently took Gladion's hand, guiding him to the left path. Perhaps if he were travelling on his own he'd tackle the more narrow route, but he had to be cautious. Even though the egg was now hatched and it was safer to move, Ilima said it himself. The Skull Gang was infesting the place, and appeared to be targeting trial-goers. So it seemed Gladion wasn't their only concern.

 _Did they figure they'd find him with trial-goers? Maybe that's why they were targeting so many lately..._ Hau wondered. He was only partially distracted by his thoughts. Strangely enough, however, the older boy was thinking about the Skull Gang as well. He squeezed onto Hau's hand before quietly muttering, "You're wondering too, right...? If they're looking for people like you to find me?" Hau stopped dead in his tracks and turned to look at his companion. He blinked, almost at a complete loss for words at the question.

"Well...yeah," he confirmed, scratching his head with his other hand. "I mean, maybe they heard that you were travelling with a trial-goer? But that still doesn't explain why they know about you." Gladion pondered again for a moment, "...If they're after the egg, maybe they were tracking Professor Burnet. And when she passed it off to me I became a target instead. But whoever it was that was watching her might've been doing a crappy job. Cause if they're looking for me through trial-goers, that means they have no idea what I look like. And they know I'm not taking the trials."

Hau nodded, groaning in confusion as he pouted, "Ugh...this makes no sense. Maybe they're just totally un-related." Gladion nodded, "That... _could_ be the case. But it's pretty doubtful. I don't think it's a coincidence they're targeting trial-goers when they just happened to find me with one." The younger boy shook his head to clear his thoughts. Then, once he could properly compose himself, he gave Gladion a reassuring smile as he turned slightly to keep moving. "Well, whatever they're doing, we won't let them take anything from you."

The blonde nodded, following as the younger boy began moving again. They didn't get too much time to move, though, as a hostile bird pokémon swerved over the wall and dived right for the older boy. Hau pulled him back quickly, pointing up at the pokémon so his Litten could track it. "Litten! Ember!" he shouted. Without a moment's hesitation, the feline spit a ball of fire right into the bird's face, knocking it back and damaging it quite a bit. It squawked unpleasantly as it glared down at the boys. Litten hissed back at it, it's fur still on end with hostility.

It was a chubby bird, a shell resembling a broken eggshell resting on it's lower half where it's legs dangled from. It's brown and bleak feathers were unsightly, and it's head where it's beak and eyes rested was the only thing with noticeable color, being a bleak pink color. Hau called back his Litten, swapping it out with his Pichu quickly. Once again, the pokémon swooped down for an attack, it's beak pointed out at the small mouse pokémon. "Knock it out of the air with Thunder Shock!" Hau commanded.

Pichu's cheeks lit up with static, as it summoned a lightning bolt down on the opposing pokémon, knocking it to the ground. It was wounded quite badly now. The boys slowly began to back up as it managed to pull itself back up. It squawked again at them, before flying away with a limp in it's flaps. Pichu cried out in victory as the boys sighed with relief. After rewarding Pichu with a bean, Hau swapped it back out with his Litten once again. The boys began to shuffle along a lot more quickly now, not wanting to incur another bird pokémon's wrath.

It didn't take long for them to find the cave-like entrance to the Meadow. The barreness of the area thus far had proven that trial-goers were definitely driven off. Who knows what damage the Skull Gang had done in the two days they were on stand-by in their room? Hau had hoped that Moon wasn't a victim to these happenings. The boys also took note of the lack of...well, anyone, for that matter. Perhaps once the trial-goers had decided to hide, there was no reason for the Skull Gang to lurk around these areas.

Still, though, it would seem the island was on high alert of them now. If only it had been that way two days ago. Perhaps they wouldn't have had to hide away in wait. Not that it was the end of the world or anything. Hesitantly, they stepped in. They were both still particularly anxious with all the thoughts they shared without knowing it. Though, there was no big pay-off to their expectancy of trouble. Instead, they found a quiet and rather peaceful brightly colored yellow flowerbed and few hills here and there.

There were a couple of tourists and trainers around, but it seemed like nobody else had an amulet. Hau's eyes sparkled with adoration and the older boy quietly sank back into relief again. " _Wow_...this place is so pretty!" Hau squeaked. Gladion nodded, "Yeah...and the flower fields are rather thick, but I think I can see some small pokémon flying around in here." Indeed there were, though there were few in far between to notice at the moment. A couple of tiny bee-like pokémon with proboscis that sucked at the nectar of the flowers, and a single floating fairy type pokémon that clung to the stigma of a yellow flower.

It was a rather cute and cuddly sight to see, and the gentle breeze that carried the little fairy pokémon along helped downplay the heat. Indeed, this was a utopia hidden carefully amongst a rocky battlefield. Then, the blonde noticed a small opening in a wall where part of the flower field was contained and pointed it out. "Hau, look. There's another entrance over there. It...looks like there's a cave." Hau followed Gladion's finger and eyes until he too spotted the opening in the wall. He smiled and nodded, "Alright! Let's go exploring! I bet there's some rare stuff hidden in there!"

Nervously, Gladion grabbed onto Hau's hand as he darted forward. He intended to hold him back, but he was just pulled along with him into the flowers. However, Hau tripped, startled by the sudden contact that he wasn't expecting and both boys tumbled into the flower field and landed in the grass hidden beneath all the overgrowth of flowers. A small puffy and cotton-covered pokémon that was floating lowly jumped back in surprise and ran off. Once they regained their sense of surroundings, the boys once again found they were in a rather precarious position.

The older boy pulled himself up, only to realize he was now on _top_ of the younger boy. His face turned red the second he realized it, but it took Hau a couple more seconds to register what just happened. He sat up slightly, rubbing his head that was now slightly bruised. "O-Ow...that hurt. Are you alri-" he stopped himself as his eyes opened up. Now his own face had lit up like a Christmas tree and he frowned sheepishly. They didn't move, nor did they speak. Their thoughts flooded with fresh memories of the other night, when they had woken up in a position much like this one.

Hau had apologized profusely. He should've done something more, he should've just pulled himself away from Gladion. He didn't mean to invade his space, honest! But he didn't want to ruin the older boy's peaceful sleep. It seemed so hard for him to sleep that way. And after his night terror that night, Hau just wanted to be careful. The blonde was just completely flustered and frustrated with himself. He wasn't mad at Hau at all. He was just mad at _himself_. He should've forced himself to stay awake just a little longer. He could've, he _should've_ just been more careful.

He didn't want to admit it, but falling into Hau's embrace felt nice. He couldn't quite remember what he said to the younger boy before drifting off, but he knew he had landed right in his lap. When they woke, the blonde was practically holding Hau like a Stufful. He was the first of the two to wake up, but immediately he pulled himself off of Hau. This jerked the younger boy awake and it didn't take long for him to figure out what had just happened. They were both red faced, and neither really knew what to say to the other when the moment was over. Once again, in this moment, they were flushed and speechless.

"A...Are you ok?" Hau whispered, but the silence was so stretched and deafening it startled the blonde. They had been staring each other directly the entire time, and Gladion snapped out of it as he tore his gaze away from Hau. Immediately, he rolled off of him and turned his back to him, "I-I'm fine! S...Sorry. It was my fault." Hau sat up all the way now, and his blush began to fade as he stared down. For a moment again, it was quiet between them, until Hau shook his head and forced himself to smile it off. He stood up, approaching Gladion slowly before holding his hand out to him, "Well! Come on, then! Let's keep going!"

He was still blushing, but he didn't say anything as he took Hau's hand and allowed himself to be pulled up to his feet. He put his hood back up, but he didn't dare let go of Hau's hand. Hau turned, and they began for the opening in the wall once again. Mentally, they were both still processing what had just happened. But neither would dare let the other see them so uncomposed and flustered. _What would he think of me then?_ they both thought, simultaneously. Their grips tightened as they stopped in front of the entrance to the cave behind the wall.

Leaving the utopia behind them and entering what one may refer to as the gates of hell, they crawled into the opening, their fingers still entwined together cautiously.

\---

_"Hey there Princess! You're back! Sooo, how'd it go?"_

_"..."_

_"Hey, sweetheart, are you alright?"_

_"Everything was..._ _**fine** _ _."_

_"It doesn't_ _**sound**_ _fine. What happened?"_

_"...I did like you asked. I got some experience and I pummeled those trial-goers."_

_"Oh, well that's_ _**great**_ _news!"_

 _"...Except for_ _**one**_ _."_

 _"Wait...what? Someone actually_ _**beat**_ _you?!"_

_"...I'm sorry...I don't mean to be such a failure. I'll do better next time, promise."_

_"...Did you happen to get a_ _**name**_ _outta this little punk?"_

Guzma and Plumeria watched from the window entrance to Guzma's throne room as Lillie battled yet another grunt. This time, one of the ones that had sharpened up since being pummeled by her. She had refused to leave Po Town since returning yesterday. They couldn't help but feel a little bad for her. Guzma groaned, taking a swig of beer from a bottle he head in his hand as he ran his other one through his unbrushed hair, "This is why I said it was a bad idea to give 'er a field mission! Look at 'er!"

"If you ask me, I think it's motivating rather than detrimental," Plumeria jested, sneering at him. "For fuck's sake, Plum, can't ya take responsibility for _once_?" he snapped, seeming unamused and uninterested in jabbing petty squabble with her. She rolled her eyes. "Ain't we supposed to be toughenin' up these kids? And besides, you hear 'er, she was kickin' ass all day until this Moon broad killed her streak!" she reminded him, following him as he plopped down onto his beloved chair.

"Exactly my point! You can't just toss 'em into the fray whenever ya feel like it!" Plumeria's eye twitched, as she began to get agitated. They rarely had arguments like this, but sometimes the big boss was a hard as bone. "It wasn't because I just felt like it, ya dingus! I knew she was ready and she _was_! It's this _trainer_ that's the problem here!" Guzma's brows raised and he sat up for once, "...Yer right. That trainer _is_ a problem, ain't she?" Plumeria's eyes lit up as she too straightened her posture. Slowly, Guzma stood up from his seat and began moving his hands around wildly as he spoke.

"Beginnin' trial-goers should be easy bait even for the more lower-level nimrods we got. This kid's got somethin' these other newbies don't got." Plumeria recognized the gleam that came to her partner's eyes. "I see...so you wanna know what it is?" she guessed, and Guzma nodded. "She's not the only one. A couple of my boys said that kid Lusamine is after is protected by the Kahuna's grand-son." Plumeria's brows shot up in surprise, "The Kahuna? Kahuna _Hala_? I didn't even know he had _kids_ , let alone a _grand_ -kid."

"It would seem so. Howzabout you follow that girl after she completes her Grand Trial? I'm sure she'll be headin' to Akala pretty soon. Take some of the kids with ya, too," he directed, making his way for the exit. Plumeria followed his movements, but didn't chase after him. One thing still had her confused, "And what about the fugitive and his little friend?" He stopped, and didn't look back at her. For a moment, it seemed like he had no answer. Until he simply said, "Don't worry about it. I'll be takin' care of that _myself_. I'm gonna go train a couple of the kids and send 'em back"

Plumeria just watched on as he left out the window and onto the roof outside. She sighed, "Arceus help ya if ya start losin' your mind again." After a few minutes, she too, left the room, leaving a slumbering Golisopod to dream peacefully on the bed.


	19. Chapter 18 - Safe With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion and Hau explore the Seward Cave as Moon becomes impatient waiting for them and decides to check up on them.

All day, his phone had buzzed with the obvious demand of his superior. He simply ignored it. He didn't want to talk to her. Not now. He had things to do, things more important than her stupid ambitions. The kids began to worry with how much more irritable their boss was becoming. Eventually, he let out an agitated groan as he ran his fingers through his hair. She wouldn't give up. If she was that kind of person, he wouldn't even be in the situation he was in right now. He shook his head, waving off his grunts with a growl.  
  
"Take five! I gotta take this..." he grumbled, waiting only until the children had all dispersed before flipping open his phone. He knew he would not get a pleasant greeting once he answered. He observed already over 60 missed calls. This woman was certainly desperate. Hesitantly, he hit accept before putting the phone up to his ear, "H...Hello-"  
  
" _Guzma_...I'm sure you have a  _perfect_ explanation for why you're  _ignoring_ me."  
  
Already he was sweating, and he had just barely gotten a single word into this call. It irritated him so that she had this effect on him. But that was just how the dice rolled. He just had to put up with it for long enough so he could get what he needed. "A-As a matter of fact, I do. I'm  _trying_ to train my grunts." A mistake. Suddenly, Lusamine's attention was plucked. "Oh? Whatever do you need to do  _that_ for? Did something go  _wrong_? You didn't  _fail_ me now...did you?" The prospect of a punishment for merely that was horrifying enough.  
  
"N-No, no! Nuthin' like that! Just uhhh..." suddenly, a perfect lie came to him, "...There's this troublesome trial-goer that's stompin' around and gettin' in our way, is all. I'm just teachin' the kids how to punch back at 'em." Lusamine hummed curiously, seeming to be fooled by his explanation. "I see. Well, so long as you're not letting it become a distraction. Have any of your... _brats_...found my Beast Killer?" This left Guzma silent. While it was true, his boys that had run into the very boy they were looking for saw no such creature with him, he  _was_ particularly anxious about a pokémon egg he was carrying.  
  
"Well, no. Not yet. But I think we're pretty close. My boys caught the kid stumblin' around on one of the islands, yesterday."  
  
"So they found him, but they did not secure my Beast Killer?"  
  
"...Turns out...somehow the kid got his hands on some pokémon  _other_ than that freakazoid chimera thing."  
  
"Is that so...? And somehow he managed to ward your men off?"  
  
"Hey, don't blame me, la- ... _Madam_   _President_. I'm just tellin' you what my boys told me. Maybe they was exaggeratin', but I seriously doubt it."  
  
"... _Guzma_."  
  
He swallowed hard. He knew that tone of voice. That unpleasant, sultry tone. He thanked the island deities she wasn't interrogating him face-to-face right now, elsewise, he'd know for sure she was onto him. "Y-Yes, Madam President?" he asked, hesitantly. Lusamine's cruel and scary voice did not get any less irritable sounding as she continued, "Are you  _sure_ there was nobody with him? Perhaps someone that would be... _protecting_ him? I know that boy, he's incredibly untalented in battling, and he's a terrible coward."  
  
His mind began scrambling for something to say.  _Anything_ that sounded even the tiniest bit believable. As much as he had gripes with Kahuna Hala, he wasn't a cruel man. He would not involve the old man's grandson with this psychopath. It was clear that she was ready to punish anyone, even innocent and unknowing children for impeding her goals. Somehow, he managed to pull himself together and put on his best impression of annoyance. "For the last time, lady, they said there wasn't nobody with 'im. Maybe he's got spooked by all them spies you got crawlin' around the Ferry Stations."  
  
There was silence for what seemed like hours, until Lusamine spoke again. Her tone was less terrifying, but it still hindered irritation, " _Madam President_." He resisted the urge to let out a sigh of relief. She didn't need to say anything for him to know he was in the clear...for now. "R-Right. Madam President. My apologies," he said, rolling his eyes. "Well then, I'll leave you to it. If you see him again, inform me immediately." Guzma nodded, "Yeah, alright. I got it." Once again, she bid him farewell in a clearly strained tone of false endearment, "Au revoir, darling."  
  
He snapped the phone shut as soon as the words left her lips. Finally, he allowed himself to take a deep and loud breath. Talking to that woman was like being interrogated by the police with a gun to your head. And he knew a thing or two about  _that_. He rubbed the bridge of his nose as he groaned in annoyance. He hated just how weak and helpless this woman made him. Sometimes, he began to think it was a mistake pairing with such a powerful woman. But there was nothing he could do about it now.  
  
Eventually, the kids returned from their break, and Guzma forcefully composed himself. There would be time to worry about Lusamine whenever that kid showed up again. For now, he had to prepare his grunts for the worst. After all, there was no telling how strong Hala's grandson truly was. And if he was anything like his old man, he too, would be an issue as this Moon kid seemed to be.  _All I have to do is just get that chimera thing to her doorstep..._ he thought, pulling out one of his pokéballs as one of his grunts approached him.  
  
 _Then maybe, just maybe, I'll have to worry about princess too..._  
  


* * *

  
It was incredibly damp and dark, but some light somehow made it inside the hollow cave. It was quite the contrast to it's outdoor rival. The boys looked around anxiously. It was eerily quiet, save for the dripping sounds of water hitting the cave floors or the various pools of water scattered about the area. "Gee, it sure is empty in here. Think there'll be more pokémon if we go in deeper?" Hau asked, turning to check on his blonde companion. "I'm...not sure. Is that safe?" Gladion asked, timidly.  
  
Hau nodded, "Oh, totally! I'll take care of anything that comes at us, don't worry." Litten had already begun ahead of the boys, taking in it's surroundings with awe. It's tail swayed curiously, seeming to marvel at the sparkling water. It came to a stop, looking up curiously at a bundled silhouette hanging from the cave ceiling. Curiously, it was incredibly vibrant colored as opposed to it's dark and dreary habitat. Litten sat down, tilting it's head and blinking curiously. "Mrow?" it mewed, gaining the attention of the boys finally.  
  
They slowly approached Litten, keeping their eyes up to see what it was staring at. Hau tilted his head, mimicking his Litten's confusion, "It's...a bat pokémon? I don't know what it is. I've never seen one that looks like  _that_ before." Before Gladion could even begin to guess, a small piece of the rocky foundation broke off and fell close to Litten's paws. The feline jumped back, hissing loudly as it's fur blazed and stood on end. In the dark area, it was like a beacon or a flare shot from a flare gun. Slowly, the purple, dangling lump spread out it's wings.  
  
It's large ears much resembled speakers, and tufts of black fur covered bits of it torso and legs. It's bright yellow eyes were wide, and it let out an ear-piercing screech that made the boys cover their ears and cry out in pain. Litten winced in pain, and growled lowly in irritation. Miraculously, it eventually stopped and the three looked up to see it diving straight for Litten. Neither Litten nor Hau was able to act quickly enough, and Litten was knocked back. It was left with significant scratches from the blow, but it managed to pull itself up just fine.  
  
"Litten! Are you ok?!" Hau gasped. Gladion took a timid step back behind him, his ears still aching from the sudden noise. The Litten nodded and mewed in reassurance. The younger boy didn't waste another second, and immediately directed his Litten at hostile pokémon, "Ember!" A ball of fire was spit right into the bat's face, sending it barreling backwards mid-air. However, it was left with hardly a scratch as it hissed back in anger. "It...didn't work?" Hau murmured, raising a brow in confusion. "Um, Hau...?!" Gladion interjected, pointing at the bat.  
  
It began wrapping it's wings around itself again, glowing with a vibrant green light. The same aura wrapped itself around Litten, and it hissed in pain as it seemed it was locked into place. Slowly, the bat began sucking life from it, absorbing it into itself. It's single scratch healed, and Litten began breathing and hissing in pain. It seemed the bat didn't take much from it, as the aura faded with Litten managing to shake it off. "Oh man...not another one that can heal itself!" Hau pouted. "I don't know how I'm going to beat it at this rate..."  
  
Gladion gripped the strap of his bag again. Suddenly an idea came to him. Gently, he grabbed Hau's shoulder, "Wait, Hau. If we can't beat it, then we should just catch it." Hau's eyes widened a bit, "Catch it? Well, I guess I could try. But how am I going to get it weakened enough if it keeps healing itself?" Gladion tapped his cheek in thought, then he looked down at the Litten who was still growling aggressively at it's opponent. "...You just have to be faster, then. Don't give it a chance." Hau smiled, nodding and turning his attention back to the bat.  
  
"Litten, Scratch!" The feline jumped up, claws extending as it knocked it's opponent back again. This time it was scratched up a little more. The hostile pokémon hissed again in fury and pain. Once again, it dived into the Litten, tackling it back to the ground and onto it's back. Litten hissed in pain, but pulled itself back up. It's tail swayed with adrenaline as it's eye twitched. Once again, it's coat had been dirtied. An aura of rage manifested, causing the boys to step back in fright. "Uh oh...that's not good," Hau gulped.  
  
Without even waiting for an order from Hau, Litten hissed angrily as it growled menacingly at the bat. The bat seemed to back down just slightly from intimidation, but it retorted with an odd and loud sound. It was nothing deafening like it's earlier screech, but the wave hit Litten's ears like a rattling snake. It became more irritated, now stumbling around like a drunken sailor. It hissed and growled, no longer able to get a grip on it's surroundings. The sound had dazed it, and it was left helpless in an angry confusion. "Wh-What's wrong with it?!" Gladion squeaked.  
  
"That sound must've confused it! But now it's just angrier!" Hau said, practically biting his nails with worry. It was definitely going to be difficult to get his Litten to listen now, and even if it's power was raised by it's anger, it was useless if it couldn't tell up from down. Despite the odds being against his favor, Hau was still determined to succeed. "Litten, snap out of it! Use Lick!" The Litten stumbled, seeming to struggle with it's own body's movements. It jumped up, instead extending it's claws in a Scratch rather than his master's orders.  
  
However, it missed the target it was searching for by a mile, and stumbled into the ground, injuring itself. Suddenly, it's agitated aura dissipated as it was rendered completely unconscious. Gladion began to sweat, as Hau called his partner back into it's ball. "Thanks for the help, Litten. Just take it easy..." he said, pulling out his only other pokéball and summoning his Pichu. Pichu hopped into the battlefield, it's cheeks sparking with excitement. "Pichu, Nasty Plot!" Hau ordered. The Pichu seemed to focus hard, gathering it's thoughts to formulate a path to victory.  
  
Suddenly, it smirked and cried out as it's cheeks sparked again, "Pi pi!" Once again, the bat wrapped it's wings around itself and a green aura surrounded them both as Pichu's energy was sucked forcefully out of it. It groaned in pain, but remained it's aggressive stance. "Thunder Shock!" Hau called out, and the tiny mouse summoned a bolt of lightning down on the bat, causing it to crash into the ground with new scratches to replace the ones that had been healed. It just continued hissing and screeching in rage, beginning to pull itself back up to react.  
  
However, Hau didn't give it the chance, tossing a black ball covered in green spots at it. The bat squawked in surprise as it was engulfed in light from the pokéball. The ball landed on the damp and rocky ground floor of the cave, and wobbled violently. Pichu's cheeks still sparked, ready to defend it's master again should it's opponent break free. It was another silent and tense wait as it continued wobbling. For the second time that day, a satisfying click was heard as the wobbling stopped. And both boys stood in silence for a long moment.  
  
The younger boy began hopping up and down with excitement, and Gladion smiled nervously. He began cheering, "Yes! I caught it!" A small crack was heard, and Pichu's ears twitched at it, being the only one to catch it. Slowly, another piece of unstable rock, knocked loose amidst the battle began to break off. This time, much larger. "I caught it, I caught it, I caught it, I-" suddenly, the boys cheers were cut off as he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. He didn't even have much time to react, letting out a weak moan as he slipped into unconsciousness.  
  
Gladion and Pichu both cried out in shock, and the blonde managed to catch his companion before he fell to the hard floor. "HAU!" he yelled, trying to get the boy to wake. He began shaking him, desperately calling his name, "Hau! Hau?!" He didn't wake up, only groaning in pain as Gladion noticed the sounds of dripping were much louder now. He turned Hau around, and his eyes widened in horror at the sight. He had a large, bleeding gash on the back of his head where the rubble had hit him. " _Shit_...! I gotta get him out of here!" he gasped, tears pricking at his eyes.  
  
Gladion open Hau's bag and fished through it, thankfully finding a worn out cloth. He quickly wrapped it around his wound to stop the bleeding. Pichu whined worriedly at his master's feet, and slowly, Gladion lowered him to the floor. He pulled out his luxury ball from his satchel, and hesitantly, he summoned his Type:Null. The chimera gazed around the area, seeming confused. Gladion picked Hau up again, looking his partner in the eyes fearfully, "Null, h-he's hurt and can't move! I-I need you to help me carry him back to the motel!"  
  
The creature needed no further explanation, and lowered it's head patiently as it stood still. Carefully, Gladion put Hau onto Null's back securely so he wouldn't slip off or fall. All the while, Hau let out the occasional groan to indicate he was still breathing. But still, he did not wake. Gladion's eyes narrowed sorrowfully at his travel companion. "Don't worry, I'll get you help..." he whispered. Before he could get Pichu's ball to call him back, his Null growled and stepped back nervously. The blonde noticed his partner's distress immediately.  
  
"Huh? Wh-what is it, buddy?" he asked. The Null seemed to be staring up, as if observing a concealed threat. Pichu and Gladion's eyes followed Null's, turning themselves completely around. Gladion immediately jumped away from where he was standing, startled by the sight of a Zubat diving right for him. Just missing Hau by a literal hair, it turned itself around and hissed at them angrily. Null began shifting anxiously, backing away from the hostile pokémon to keep Hau away from it. Immediately, this caused something to click inside Gladion's mind.  
  
Normally, he would've been frightened. Normally, he would have run away. Normally, he'd be begging, praying for Hau to wake up. But it was clear that he was not the target of this Zubat's anger. For some reason, it was the young, unconscious, green-haired boy who was currently sprawled out on Null's back with a bleeding wound on his head. Perhaps it was some left over protectiveness from his time with the egg. Perhaps it was the time he had spent with Hau until now. Perhaps it was the night he had confided in him, and vice versa.  
  
All of these things were possibilities to explain why instead, he took a brave step forward and locked eyes with the Zubat. He glared angrily, a sudden urge to protect Hau controlling his actions now. "If you want to hurt him, you'll have to go through  _me_ , first," he threatened, looking to Pichu for support. The Pichu nodded, hopping in front of Gladion and sparking it's cheeks with ferocity. Their common goal allowed them to resonate with one another, as the Pichu understood well it's master was unable to defend himself.  
  
The Zubat screeched, seeming to accept their challenge. Quickly, Gladion turned his head back to his Null and shouted his next orders, "Null, run! Take Hau back to the motel! Find Moon if you have to, just get him out of here!" Null nodded, turning and scampering off, the groaning boy still secured on it's back safely. Without waiting to see Null disappear into the darkness, Gladion turned his attention back to the agitated Zubat before him. It was possible he wouldn't be able to beat this thing on his own, but he had to try. After all, Hau would be waiting for him, if he ever woke up.  
  


* * *

  
Once again, Moon's impatient nature brought her by the barricade on Route 1. Her Rotom was floating about boredly, having no new subjects to capture for his database. "Moooon, can't we just take the Grand Trial without them? Zzt!" he whined, causing Moon to pout indignantly. "Absolutely not! We're waiting for them to get here!" Rotom groaned impatiently, swaying in front of Moon to try and get her attention, "Can't we just go back and check up on them? Maybe they found some new pokémon!" Moon sighed.  
  
It was true, even she was itching to stretch her legs after how long it took those two to catch up. She was starting to wonder if maybe she was cursed with how good she was at this. The idea nonetheless sounded appealing, and she caved. "Fine. We'll go look for them. Maybe I can battle Hau as a warm up before I face off against Hala," she decided, turning and making her way back up the path towards Melemele Meadow. She wasn't  _quite_ sure where she'd fined them, but she knew they  _had_ to be up this trail by now, right?  
  
Crossing the bridge, and just barely beginning to make her way up to the entrance of the Meadow, she and Rotom froze. A horrified screech emerged from Meadow, and not a second too soon after did a familiar beast emerge from it's entrance hastily. Moon's eyes widened and Rotom gasped in surprise. It was Type:Null. Immediately, Moon called out to the creature, "N-Null?!" Recognizing it's name, the creature turned to acknowledge her, but seemed to struggle to remember who she was. She approached carefully, as did Rotom.  
  
"I-it's me, Moon. I met you at Hala's house when Professor Kukui barged in," she explained. Null's eyes widened as she introduced herself, and she continued with panic, "Where's Gladion? What're you doing out here in the open?!" Without wasting any time, the Null turned to reveal Hau hanging for dear life off it's back, a cloth sloppily wrapped around his head that was drenched in blood. Moon gasped, immediately checking Hau's condition. "Oh my Arceus! What happened to him?!" she squeaked, Rotom floating around above him to get a better look.  
  
"It looks like he's suffered blunt-force trauma! That cloth isn't going to hold off the bleeding to well for very long!" Rotom stated. Moon looked to Null again, not sure what she should do. "Where's Gladion? Sh-shouldn't he be with you guys?" Null simply shook it's head, and grunted as it gestured for Moon to look into Hau's backpack. Rotom piped up, "He says there's a card in Hau's backpack!" Hesitantly, she dug through the bag and found a precarious card key labelled with the motel it belonged to. She looked to Null nervously, trying to mentally piece together what it was trying to tell her.  
  
"You...want me to take him back to this motel?" she asked. Null grunted again, nodding it's head in confirmation. Once again, Rotom translated hastily, "It says that it's master asked it to get Hau to safety and find you to get him help! They've been staying there for a few days now." Moon nodded, determined to aide her rivals as she climbed onto Null's back. "Alright then, Null. Let's go," she said, directing the pokémon in the direction of the motel. She already knew where it was, as it was the only motel on the island. Her worries were set aside by her determination to focus on getting there.  
  
Rotom nestled into her purse, staring off worriedly at the Meadow's entrance. Whatever trouble Gladion was in would have to wait. As much as Moon didn't like the idea of leaving the clearly incapable boy on his own, she knew Hau was too injured to waste time. And if what Rotom said was true, Gladion was now trusting her to take care of him. Whether or not this was the work of the Skull Gang or the Aether Foundation, or something of that sort, Hau's safety was a high priority. They both knew this walking out of Hala's house that day after everything was blown out in the open.  
  
Well,  _almost_ everything. There were definitely still secrets laying in wait about this boy and his companion. After all, there had to be a reason the Aether Foundation wanted this thing so much. But now wasn't the time for that. Looking ahead and trying to clear her thoughts as best she could, Moon steered Null with haste down the road of Route 3. She kept a careful hand on Hau's back the entire time, making sure he wouldn't fall off. The boy simply groaned, seeming unable to wake himself. Moon inferred that once he  _did_ stir, he'd be panicked with worry over his elder companion.   
  
 _What a joy **that's** gonna be... _Moon thought, sweat dripping down her face as the wind kept her hair out of her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Finally figured out how to separate my lines properly. From now on no more dashes.
> 
> Btw, next chapter is gonna take a couple more days than usual. Sorry to leave you all on such a horrible cliffhanger ^w^; Thanks for nearly 900 reads, you guys are tubular~ ♥


	20. Chapter 19 - Fight For Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moon rushes Hau back to the motel to treat his wound, while Gladion and Pichu are left to defend themselves against a particularly hostile pokémon

_I...I tried to remember where I was. I couldn't think of any images or any sounds in particular. The only thing that came to my head was my own name. But a whole lot of good that was going to do me. I couldn't open my eyes, but, the back of my head was_ ** _killing_  ** _me. And...it felt...wet? Was I bleeding? Why was I bleeding? What happened?! I was trapped in between waking up and this nightmarish blackness that was somewhere between sleep and death. Suddenly, a soft and comforting voice came to my ears._  
  
"Don't worry, I'll get you help..."  
  
_I...know that voice. Who is that...? I just know that he means a lot to me. I can tell he's trying not to cry. No...no! I have to wake up! He's all alone! He can't get out of here without me! Where are we?! I have to wake up! Wake up, please! I could hear him talking again, but...his voice just got more distant. It was infuriating how little I was able to hear. Almost as infuriating as my inability to communicate with him. I had to let him know I was here, that I was ok. He needed to know. He must be worried sick about me..._  
  
_I'm so stupid, I should've paid more attention. If I did, this never would've happened! I'm sure of it. I...I think I am. I can't tell what's clear and what's not. What happened? Did someone attack me? All I know is...whoever this voice is, I have to help him. It's the only thing that's definite in my mind. I'm trying to think of his face, of his name, but I can't. Pieces of things I've heard him say were coming back to me, though. Or...was that just him talking to me? Get up, get up, get up!_  
  
"Null, run! Take Hau back to the motel! Find Moon if you have to, just get him out of here!"  
  
_It was the first clear thing I heard inbetween all the blurry noises. I know for sure now, we know each other. And...that name..."Moon". I've heard it before. My fleeted memory was still taking forever to come back to me. I was screaming into a literal void at this point. It seemed the only sound I could make was groans of pain. Was I even unconscious? Was I paralyzed? I can't tell. It's...so dark. Wait...did he just tell him to run? Is he not coming with me? Why? Why isn't he coming with me?! What's he doing?!_  
  
_The next thing I heard was a loud crash. I could tell I was riding ontop of something, but I had no idea what. I could hear the panicked screams of passersby that were startled by something. Probably whatever it was I was perched on. It felt windy as I was frantically hauled away to the motel presumably. My memory started to return to me. I...I remember...I had caught a bat pokémon. Something hit my head I think. And I know I heard him...he was calling my name. He sounded scared. But his name was still slipping my mind._  
  
"Oh my Arceus! What happened to him?!"  
  
_This time it was a feminine voice that broke my concentration. We had stopped moving now. I could hear grunting sounds close to my ear. A robotic voice, blurry, but clearly speaking came up as well. I felt like I had heard her before. She must've been standing right over me, because I heard her far more clearly than the other voice._  
  
"Where's Gladion? Sh-shouldn't he be with you guys?"  
  
_Gladion...Gladion..._  
  
**_Gladion!_**  
  
_I was panicked again. Suddenly it all came rushing back. Gladion, he was alone! He must've called out his Null to transport me back to the motel! I have to go back! He wouldn't do this unless something bad was happening, right?! He's in danger, I just know it! I felt something pressing against my back as the wind blew against my face again. Were we still going to the motel? What was going on?! Go back! He needs me! Why won't I wake up?!_ ** _WAKE UP!!!_**

 

* * *

  
Moon placed Hau on the bed quickly, pulling off the cloth and tossing it into the trash bin. She rushed into the bathroom, pulling out all manner of medical supplies. She tossed them onto the bed, re-positioning Hau to begin work. She had learned first-aide from her mother when she was a bit younger, a precaution to any possible wild pokémon her daughter would encounter as a trainer. She was only knowledgeable in the more simpler wounds. It helped that her mother was a retired pokémon surgeon. Without wasting a minute to think, she began cleaning Hau's wound.  
  
The boy continuously groaned in pain and she whispered sloppy apologies and re-assurances that he'd be ok. She tried her best to be careful, and Rotom watched anxiously, giving her the best direction he could. Suddenly, her work was interrupted when somehow, the boy managed to finally stir. He turned, sitting up and putting his hand over his wound. He hissed in pain, opening one of his eyes to look at Moon. "M...Moon?" he muttered, scanning the room and seeming disoriented as to where he was.  
  
"Null...? I'm...back in the motel? What's going on?" he asked. Moon gulped, "Hau, just stay calm. I need you to sit still. You're still bleeding." Hau stared at her and raised his brow at her. Taking his hand off of his head and staring down at it, his eyes grew wide with panic. He  _was_ bleeding.  _A lot_. "Oh geez oh crap oh Arceus! I'm bleeding!" Rotom floated around Hau, trying to get his attention, "Ca-a-alm down! Moon's treating it! Ju-u-ust sit still! Zzt!" Once again, Hau turned to look at Moon as a thought hit him.  
  
"...Where's Gladion?"  
  
"...I-I...he'll be fine-"  
  
"Is he still in the cave?! I have to go back there!"  
  
Moon panicked as Hau jumped to his feet suddenly. Null stood up, blocking his exit as Moon put up her hands to stop him from going any further. "Hau, stop! You won't help anybody if you kill yourself! Please, Gladion  _asked_ that I take care of you and make sure you're safe! Which means he can handle whatever it is that's got him stuck back there!" Hau was still unconvinced, his memory of the older boy's desperate voice slowly returning to him. "I could hear him! He was scared! He could be in danger! We have to help!"  
  
"You wanna help, Hau? Sit down and let me treat your wound so I can go back there and help him myself!" she demanded. Hau was still apprehensive, but slowly, he realized she was right. Hesitantly, he sat down with a sigh. "J-Just...don't go too slowly. I don't know how long he can defend himself in that cave." Both Rotom and Moon were genuinely surprised with his cooperation, but they didn't waste time questioning it. Immediately, Moon went back to treating Hau's wound, Rotom observing her work carefully for any mistakes.

 

* * *

  
There was no denying that this was no where near the most terrifying thing he had ever had to do. He had faced far greater trials, far deeper chasms than this. Surely, if he had made it this far, he wouldn't be defeated here. Now. No, he had someone he had to protect now. He had something valuable. Running was an option no longer. In fact, it wasn't even a consideration. It wasn't even a question anymore. His attachment had now made him a much bolder person than he used to be.  
  
Still glaring down the hostile Zubat, Gladion took out a purple spray bottle from his bag, approaching the Pichu quickly. After a couple of sprays, it's sparks become more vibrant as it feel rejuvenated. Once the blonde was back on his feet, he pointed at the Zubat. "Knock it down with Thunder Shock!" The Pichu attempted to bring down a bolt of lightning onto the bat pokémon, but it evaded swiftly. Wasting no time, it made it's own move against the Pichu, swooping down and shrieking at it so loudly it knocked it back.  
  
It didn't touch it, but the anticipation of a hit had startled the small mouse pokémon. It pulled itself back up, waiting eagerly for a command from Gladion as it began to move quickly on it's feet to evade any sudden attack from the Zubat. "Tail Whip!" Suddenly, the Pichu stopped and began wagging it's tail at the Zubat, putting on it's most adorable face. The Zubat seemed confused by this move, even sweating a bit with a feeling of awkwardness. It forcefully shook this off, and repeated it's previous attack on the small mouse.  
  
Gladion attempted to act fast, giving out his next order with haste, "Thunder Shock! Again!" Once again, Pichu was helpless to dodge it and was startled by the sudden shriek. It's cheeks sparked, but it flinched as it was pushed backwards by the sound waves. It struggled to pick itself up a bit, now littered with scratches from the damage it had taken. It breathed heavily, still filled with adrenaline to take it down. The Zubat hissed back at it, it's own rage seeming to keep it's strength up. It was the only explanation Gladion had for the power behind it's attacks.  
  
Pichu had already proven itself to be plenty strong against one of these things. For some reason, this Zubat was filled with anger. Neither Pichu nor Gladion stopped to think about it, though. Their desire to avenge their fallen comrade had outweighed their sense of thought, and in Gladion's case, his fear of failure. Despite the fact that it should've been barely able to move by now, it was still moving about with incredible speed as if it was hardly scuffed. Perhaps it was just a bit stronger than most Zubat?  
  
No, that couldn't be it. They'd be evenly matched wouldn't they? There's no way it was  _that_ high leveled. And Hau said it himself, his pokémon were capable of handling anything in this cave. He was no liar, at least not intentionally, if ever. So maybe he had just miscalculated. But he had already caught a pokémon before he was knocked unconscious. No, it definitely had to be this pokémon's anger that was keeping it from suffering much damage. Pichu managed to pick itself up, growling lowly in irritation, "Piiii...!"   
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"Pi!"  
  
"...You've noticed too, haven't you? Your attacks  _should_ be making it weaker, but it's only getting stronger..."  
  
"Pichu!"  
  
"Then we'll just have to keep weakening it's defenses! You with me?"  
  
The Pichu smirked and nodded, looking back at it's new partner in battle, "Pi!" Gladion nodded back, hoping to Arceus that this plan would work. If Pichu fell out now, all he had left was...  _No, that's **not** an option! I can't use that...not here! _he shouted internally. "Tail Whip, again!" he ordered. Pichu repeated it's previous movement, wagging it's tail and causing the Zubat to be even less wary. It seemed to help fan the fires of it's strength, but it's defense was becoming lax. And that was all Gladion needed to get past this.  
  
However, both the blonde and Pichu were caught off guard by it's next move. A strange sound exited the bat pokémon's mouth and entered their ears. Gladion was unaffected by it, only slightly off-put by the noise. However, once he turned his attention to Hau's Pichu, it appeared as though the little thing was in a loopy state. It wobbled and it's eyes rolled around in it's head. He couldn't tell what it was even looking at. "Pichu, what happened?" he asked, but the Pichu groaned dizzily, in almost a relaxed cry of content.  
  
It still seemed to register his voice. Maybe he could just ignore this and it'd be fine. He would snap out of it eventually, right? "Thunder Shock!" Pichu stumbled forward, attempting to focus it's attack on the Zubat. However, it's dazed state and the Zubat's speed made a great barrier. And he was unable to make the leap he needed. He succeeded it bringing about another bolt of lightning, however, instead it had hit a piece of unstable rock. The newly broken rubble hit Pichu's face, and caused it some minimal damage.  
  
It was certainly nothing compared to the fallen debris it's master had taken quite literally head-on. The Zubat swooped down suddenly, biting into the Pichu as it cried out in pain. "PI!" It sucked a bit of energy from it, before releasing it and flying back up. A couple of it's scratches healed, but not much. Now the poor mouse was covered in wounds, and it shook as it tried to pull itself back up. "P-Pi..." it groaned. Suddenly, a sense of worry overcame Gladion. "Pichu, can you hear me? Are you alright?"  
  
The Pichu nodded, opening one of it's eyes. It was still dazed, and unable to focus. But the pain and agitation from the situation made it able to focus just enough to hear it's partner. "P-Pi! Pi pi!" it replied, seething with fury. The blonde's grip on his bag strap tightened once again.  _I can't...it would just get hurt. There's no way it would survive this. But..._ his thoughts trailed off as he began to sweat. He had to think of something, and fast. Pichu was on the brink of passing out already, and his only other pokémon was far too weak for a battle like this.  
  
"PICHU! PICHU, PI PI!" the Pichu suddenly cried, noticing Gladion's anxiety. This caught the blonde off-guard, as his eyes widened in surprise. Was...it trying to tell him something?   
  
"You're not going to make it much longer. I-I don't want to-"  
  
"PICHU! PI PI! PI! CHU!"  
  
"You're...saying you'll endure it?"  
  
It nodded, "PI! Pichu, pi pi!"  
  
It continued making sounds in an attempt to communicate with Gladion. Perhaps it's confusion prevented it from remembering the poor boy didn't really understand most of it. Though, even without that, it would've still tried as hard as it could to resonate with him. It had been observing him, observing it's master for quite a while now. It was clear that they both had one thing in common; they cared about Hau. It wasn't sure about Gladion, but it hated the idea of failure. It didn't matter how much it was hurting, it couldn't let itself be taken down so easily.  
  
If this Zubat was matching it's power with rage, it would match the Zubat with it's determination. It seemed that at least half of what it's resolve reached Gladion's ears, as he smiled warmly and nodded. "Ok then. Let's finish this together...for him," he stated. The Pichu nodded, and pulled itself up, slouching a bit in it's posture as it stood back up. One cheek was still sparking, but one was all they needed. "Nasty Plot!" Gladion commanded. The Pichu closed it's still open eye, once again clearing it's thoughts on a way to victory.  
  
The Zubat attempted to swoop down and startle it again. However, this time, the small mouse managed to veer to the side before it was hit. It began running, trying to shake the enraged Zubat off it's tail, though still stumbling significantly. At first Gladion wasn't quite sure what it was doing, until it ran up to a pokéball that was still settled on the ground. Kicking it towards Gladion, it turned and began running from the Zubat again. Gladion caught it with ease, recognizing it as the ball Hau had already dropped, containing his new pokémon.  
  
"Pi pi!"  
  
"Hau's pokéball...you're saying...to catch it?"  
  
"Pi!"  
  
Gladion reached into his bag, dropping the pokéball inside and swapping it out for another that looked just like it. However, this one was still uninhabited by a pokémon. "Let's hope this works..." he muttered. "Pichu! Thunder Shock!" Another bolt of lightning came crashing down, and it again hit a piece of rock instead. However, the Pichu managed to jump out of the way, baiting the Zubat into following it. This resulted in the bat pokémon getting hit with the debris instead, causing a fair amount of damage to it. It screeched in anger and pain.  
  
Before it could make another move, however, Pichu retreated back to Gladion as best it could. As soon as the small mouse was nestled safely by his ankles, he pushed the button in the center of the pokéball to expand it. He took a deep breath, " _Please_ work..." With a loud grunt, Gladion tossed the pokéball at the Zubat and watched anxiously as it was consumed in a beam of light. It had already begun wobbling before it had even hit the ground, causing it to spiral on it's way down. Pichu would've been staring on as Gladion was if it weren't still dazed.  
  
Every wobble was violent and erratic, and it seemed like it might escape at any second. However, rather than the ball popping open, it clicked and became completely still. Slowly, Gladion and Pichu approached it, and stared expectantly. But nothing happened. The catch had been a success. Gladion's eyes were wide with shock, and all sorts of emotions began to bubble inside of him. "I...I did it. I caught it," he breathed, still seeming unable to believe he had achieved such a feat. Amongst the feeling of joy, relief, and shock he felt, something new blossomed.  
  
A small inkling of pride was boiling underneath all of it in the back of his mind. And slowly, he picked up the ball to put it in his bag, alongside all the other pokémon he was now keeping. Slowly, he smiled, and then he grinned. "I actually did it! I...I can't believe it!" he said, trying his best not to shout too loudly. He was pulled out of his celebration by the Pichu groaning dizzily. It was smiling as well, however, it was just barely keeping itself up. Quickly, he scooped up the poor pokémon. "You did great back there, Pichu. Thank you for the help..."  
  
The Pichu nodded, still grinning blissfully as it's eyes continued to roll about. Looking desperately for Gladion's face, but failing miserably. Gladion turned himself around, heading back for the exit into the Meadow. He stopped dead in his tracks when he found the hole that lead inside had gotten considerably larger. And suddenly, his mind allowed him to remember that Null had gone back to the motel. Or at least...he hoped he had made it there. He swallowed hard as he continued onward, praying that he would not see anyone from the Aether Foundation or the Skull Gang on the road back.  
~~~~

* * *

  
She was almost finished now, all that was left was to wrap bandages around the wound to prevent further blood loss. And so she did, and Hau had long since stopped whining and shifting impatiently. It had seemed that he finally calmed down. Though mentally, he was still screaming in horror. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him. After all, she too would be restless as he if she were in his shoes. And, in a way, she already was. Moon didn't know much about the Aether Foundation, but surely, if Gladion was so terrified of them, they had to be somewhat ruthless.  
  
Suddenly, the motel room door swung open. In burst a certain Pichu who hopped up to it's master immediately, jumping into his arms. Despite Hau's eyes straying away from it, he caught it with no issue. In the doorway stood a certain blonde boy, breathing heavily and looking exhausted. His eyes were wide, as if he had been in a panic. Immediately, Hau rose to his feet and attempted to approach him. "Gla- Uwah!" he cried out in surprise as Moon suddenly shoved him back down onto the bed.   
  
"SIT.  _DOWN_. Don't be an idiot, you could tear out your stitches if you move too much," she scolded. She turned her head to look at Gladion, still standing. "And  _you_ , do you have  _any_ idea how lucky you are I decided to come looking for you two today?" He looked down sheepishly, a look of shame on his face. Rotom floated inbetween them, waving it's limbs around in a panic, "M-Moon! Ca-a-alm down! I think they- Zzt! -get the picture!" Moon crossed her arms, before forcing herself to take a deep breath and calm her nerves. Gladion quickly closed the door behind him, breaking the tense moment immediately.  
  
Slowly, Gladion approached the younger boy, and fished a familiar looking ball out of his bag. "It's...my Dusk Ball. You got it back for me," he murmured, gently taking the ball back from him. Gladion nodded, "Y...Yeah. I...I hope you don't mind, I borrowed your Pichu." Hau's eyes widened a bit and he shook his head, "N-No no! It's fine!" Moon rolled her eyes, grabbing Gladion's shoulder to get his attention, "Hey, I need to finish wrapping his wound. Get me some painkillers for him. They're in the bathroom."  
  
Gladion nodded, taking off his bag and placing it on the bed beside Hau before entering the bathroom. Moon returned to her work, making casual conversation with Hau all the while. Gladion couldn't quite hear it, not that he was paying much attention to it. He fumbled through the mirror cabinet, until finally locating the painkillers stuffed in the back. He froze for a moment, his thoughts starting to swirl. After a minute or so, he sighed in relief, before staring at himself in the mirror. He noticed his face was flushed again, and shook his head.  
  
"Get a hold of yourself...! Everything's fine. He's...fine," he whispered. He tried to pull his thoughts together. Slowly, he managed to compose himself as that single fact repeated in his head. Hau was alive, and he was ok. Sure, his head probably hurt like hell and it would for a few days. But he was ok. Null was ok. Everyone was here and nothing went wrong for the most part. He smiled to himself, "...Everything's fine." Finally, he turned to exit the bathroom. His focus was clearer now, and he finally began to hear Hau and Moon's conversation.  
  
"-Well, she looked nothing like the other skull punks but she had their medallion around her neck."  
  
"Really? That's weird."  
  
A robotic voice pitched into the conversation. And as soon as it did, Gladion froze into place.   
  
"Yeah, and she ha-a-ad blonde hair and green eyes. But she had a re-e-eally cute face! Zzt!"  
  
His hand was wrapped around the door knob, but he didn't push it open. It was only ajar by a crack. His thoughts began trying to rationalize it. That could've been anyone, right? The Skull Gang had tens of kids. After all, it couldn't possibly be what he was thinking. That would be preposterous...wouldn't it?  
  
"It didn't match her whole gothic look at  _all_! And she had this ugly looking dufflebag," Moon chimed in again.  
  
"Did she say who she was?"  
  
Gladion was paying extremely close attention now. If he weren't already being careful not to interrupt, it was possible he could've fallen forward. He was hoping, praying that she wouldn't say it. Or better yet, that she  _had_ no name to give. There was no pause inbetween the question and the answer. Not a single shred of doubt about who it was. And as soon as it left her lips, there was no longer any denying what had been screaming in the back of his head.  
  
"She called herself... _Lillie_?"  
  
His previously peaceful mind had been rattled with an earthquake. Once again, it seemed the entire world around him was crumbling to the ground. This was impossible. It was  _improbable_! It had to be a coincidence, it just  _had_ to be! How could his sweet little sister be lollygagging around with a bunch of cruel criminals? Was  _she_ the reason they were out for his head? Did she tell them about Null? No...no she didn't know about him. Only Gladion found out. At least...he was  _pretty_ sure she had no idea. This didn't make any sense!  
  
Suddenly, it dawned on him as he began to think even more. His sister...he had left her behind. He left her by herself. He left her with  _Lusamine_. She ran away, just like he did. But she didn't go to a Kahuna. No...no she sought refuge with the Skull Gang? Was...was she  _that_ angry with him? But, she had every right to be, didn't she? He had left her all alone with the woman who had abused him, tormented him, and hurt him more than anyone he had ever known in his entire life. What sort of fool was he?!  
  
She was a frail and shy girl. He knew that! He  _knew_ she was always so much more fragile than he was! What a coward he was. What a coward, to leave his poor, defenseless sister with someone like  _that_. He felt himself becoming sick to his stomach. He tried hard to rationalize it. But there was no reasonable explanation for it. No matter what way he cut it, the cold reality sunk in even harder. She was so alone, so isolated, that she would rather seek help from criminals than her own cowardly brother. And she had gone up against Moon, of all trainers.  
  
_Wait...she...she went against Moon...?_ he thought, his attention coming back to the conversation once again. He had still not left the bathroom. He was hovering anxiously by the door, listening carefully to Moon's explanation, "She said she was hunting trial-goers. I just wanted to let you boys know. I beat her, but she's pretty skilled. Just be don't be fooled by her appearance, she's  _not_  to be trusted." Rotom interjected once more, sounding shaken, "She was really scary, too!"  
  
This kept making less sense and more sense at the same time as he listened. So she too was after trial-goers. But why? What was the connection? Maybe they really  _were_ just for training purposes. But it was still incredibly doubtful. And of course, Moon had beaten her. This was no surprise. But that only begged the question...how long had it been since she joined these ruffians? Perhaps it wasn't all the long if she lost so easily. Or perhaps that was just a side of her being new to the art of battling, as was he.  
  
After all, neither of them never learned how to do it before now. No...no Moon said she was skilled. And Hau and Gladion both knew she was the most capable in battle between the 3 of them. So she was no fool, she had been taught, certainly. Strangely, however, she did not adopt very much of the Skull Gang's punk attire according to Moon as well. He wondered about that, but not as much as everything else. He forced himself to calm down, taking another deep breath. He would have time to contemplate this later. For now, he had to keep up his facade.  
  
They weren't ready to know about her...not yet. Trying to appear as casual as possible, Gladion came out of the bathroom and handed the bottle to his companion. His Pichu was now resting beside him on the bed. "Sorry about that, there's so much stuff in there it was hard to see it," he apologized, covering up his absence with a lie. Moon had already long finished her job with wrapping up Hau's wound. Raising her brow at him, she decided to keep her mouth shut for Hau's sake as she stood up with a loud sigh. Putting her hands on her hips, she pouted.  
  
"You two sure seem to have knack for injuring and putting yourselves on the edge of death's doorstep. Try not to kill yourselves before Hala's trial, will ya? I'll see you boys later. I'm gonna head home," she declared, turning and heading for the door. Hau suddenly piped up again, reaching his hand out, "H-Hey! Hold up! When am I gonna be able to go back on the road?" Moon rolled her eyes, putting her hand on the door knob and not even looking back as she answered, "Another 2 days, at the very least. Just lay down and get some rest. And  _no_ roughhousing."  
  
Before either of them could say anything else, she and Rotom were gone. They sighed in relief. Both of them had felt horribly foolish under her judgmental eye. Though, unfortunately, she was all too right about the boys. They sat in silence for a moment, before Hau finally turned his gaze up to meet Gladion's. "H...hey," he said, gaining the blonde's attention immediately. "I-I...I'm sorry I had to leave you hanging. You're not hurt too, are you?" he asked, hanging his head shamefully, as if blaming himself for the whole ordeal.  
  
The older boy's eyes widened a bit, and he waved his hands nervously, "Wh-what?! No! I...I was worried about  _you_!" Hau blinked, one thing still horribly unclear to him, "What...happened? Did... _someone_  find you?" Gladion frantically shook his head and waved his hands even more, "What? No no no no! A-As soon as I prepared Null to help me take you back here, a Zubat tried to attack you. So I had Null take you to safety. Thanks to Pichu, I...I actually caught it." Hau's eyes lit up with realization as his earlier slips between waking and sleep came back to him.  
  
"Wait... _Null_ saved me?" he asked, turning to look at the chimera as it approached him to check his condition. He smiled, petting the pokémon lovingly and laughing slightly. "Thanks, buddy!" he exclaimed, before briefly freezing as yet another thought came to him. He turned to look at the older boy, who was still standing by the bed. "Wait...why  _did_ it attack me?" he asked, his brow raised in confusion. Gladion took his own Dusk Ball out of his satchel, staring down at it curiously. "You know...I was wondering the same thing," he said, summoning the Zubat as he threw the ball into the air.  
  
The Zubat immediately began hissing aggressively upon realizing where it was. However, it forced itself to remain calm as Hau's Pichu sparked it's cheeks in a dare to try anything. Hau waved nervously, his smile clearly strained. The Zubat merely hissed at him, seeming incredibly upset. Hau's smile melted into a sheepish frown as he sweat a bit. "M...Maybe I'll try...introducing it to  _my_ pokémon. It may calm down it if has a play mate," Hau reasoned, grabbing his own Dusk Ball and calling out his pokémon as he tossed it into the air as well.  
  
As soon as the two's eyes met, they froze in place save for the rampant flapping of their wings. Then, they began flying around each other, each smiling widely and letting out cries of joy. At first the boys were left confused, until the two began rubbing cheeks lovingly. A wide grin exploded onto Hau's face as he rested his hand on one of his cheeks, "Awww! That's so cute!" Gladion's eyes widened a bit as he realized what was going on. "They...were mates. They knew each other. It must've been upset when you caught it's partner."  
  
Hau's eyes widened and his smile faded, "R-Really?" He looked up at the two bats sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck with guilt. "S-Sorry guys. I had no idea." The two bat pokémon clung to the ceiling and nuzzled close together as their wings wrapped around their bodies. Gladion sighed in relief once again, "Well, I guess that settles that," he said, crashing down beside Hau on the bed. He ran his fingers through his bangs, trying to keep his head clear once again. So much had been running through his mind, and still was.  
  
After a minute, he turned to look at Hau who was still watching the two mated pokémon cuddling together. "I'm glad...that you're ok," he whispered, his voice strained from the exhaustion of the day's events. Hau blushed, smiling shyly as he rubbed the back of his neck again, tearing his eyes off of Gladion's, "Y-you were  _that_ worried about me, huh?" Gladion blushed as well, nodding, and looking away as well. Hau's smile became less sheepish, and more warm as he continued, "Don't worry, I can take it. This is probably nothing versus crashing a boat, right?"  
  
They locked eyes again, and Gladion couldn't help but chortle with amusement. "Yeah, probably not~!" he snickered. For a moment, Hau's smile faded as he continued to stare at his older companion. Gladion was going to ask what was wrong, when the boy suddenly lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Gladion in a hug. He gasped in surprise, and his face went bright red. Immediately, his mind went to the stitches that Moon had put into Hau's wound and he began to panic.  
  
"H-Hau! Careful, you cou-"  
  
"Mahalo..."  
  
"...Wh...What?"  
  
"It...it means 'Thank You', in Alolan. And...I'm sorry that I caused all this."  
  
Gladion's hands raised up to return the gesture, but he hesitated. Somehow, through all the thoughts in his head, a seed of doubt suddenly implanted itself within him. His worst fears, or a variant thereof, at least, had come to life today. Ever since it had been decided he would travel with Hau, his well-being had always been a concern. Even before he had come to think so fondly of him. And worse still, Hau blamed himself for all of it. A part of Gladion couldn't help but feel guilty. Like he was responsible, or that he would become responsible in the future.  
  
His fear of Lusamine was still too great. Especially now, with what he had learned of Lillie's whereabouts. He didn't want to break himself away from Hau, but he couldn't deny how dangerous it was to become attached. He knew if she had ever found out that Hau even existed, no less aided him in ducking under her radar, she would break him just to spite Gladion. She was always a vile, cruel woman. So even with how heavy his heart was with the idea of letting Hau go someday, the thought of losing him to something tomorrow was far more horrifying. His desire to protect him had come with all sorts of new things to worry about now that the adrenaline had died off.  
  
His hands came back down, but he forced himself to swallow his tears and keep his body still. He couldn't let Hau know he was shaken up. Right now, he needed reassurance. Perhaps, when he was feeling better, he would give him a more detailed explanation. He owed him that much at least. Eventually, he mustered a response to Hau through all his doubts, "N-No...don't be. Really, I don't blame you." Hau shook his head, pulling off of Gladion but his hands still gripped his shoulders, "No...I'm supposed to keep you safe!"  
  
Gladion smiled sweetly, grabbing Hau's hands to pull them off, "And you are. But, I promise you, you're also safe with  _me_." Hau couldn't help but blush again. Gladion looked away shyly, releasing Hau's hands once they were off his shoulders. "I can't do much...and I won't lie, I only managed to make it on my own today by a thin hair. But...I'm going to keep you safe too. We're both on the deep end now. Which means we have to look out for each other. So...you have my word. I'll protect you, too."  
  
Hau smiled and nodded. Gladion got up as Hau began to lay down on the bed for rest. It didn't take long for the younger boy to pass out, and Gladion gently laid the blanket from the floor over top of him. He turned to Null, petting it gently and hugging it. "Thank you, Null. I'll try not to make you have to do something like that again," he promised. Null grunted, nuzzling it's master reassuringly and gaining a smile from the blonde. Quietly, Pichu cuddled up beside it's master and curled into a ball, snoozing peacefully alongside him.  
  
And like that, they all crashed into a deep slumber, completely drained from the day's events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOOOO Mega chapter!
> 
> This took _forever_ to write. But it was all worth it in the end, eh fellas?
> 
> Wow you boys are a mess it's a good thing Moon is here to babysit you, you dumb gay babies .w.  
> Also, yes, I do plan to have more in-depth perspective scenes like Hau's dream state in the future. So stay tuned for more of that. 
> 
> Hey how come all hotels and motels in movies just have a bunch of convenient medical stuff anyways? >w>


	21. Chapter 20 - We Could Be Beautiful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillie gets some practice in with her pokémon, as Hau confesses something that's been troubling him to Gladion.

As was usual in Po Town these days, it was pouring with rain. The past week or so had been a miracle of weather, frankly. Nobody was quite sure why it was. A few grunts speculated it could be a stray Castform floating about the area, and every time the rain came about they would go on a hunt for it. Unfortunately, they never did find it. Everyone was either training inside as best they could or lounging about. The Boss had already left early that day for some "Important business", as their Admin had left to retrieve more food supplies.  
  
Lillie was sat in her room again, her arms crossed and tapping her finger impatiently as she pouted. She had been in a complete rut for nearly 3 days now. It could've been all the pruning Plumeria and Guzma had already done with her, but she had a very unexpected reaction to her loss. This trainer, she didn't scare her. She merely irritated her. No, wait...not  _merely_. Completely. She wasn't even entirely sure what it was. It could've been any number of things that she had observed of her.  
  
Her frustrating strength compared to other beginners. Or her mocking and sarcastic tone, her cutting, ignorant jabs. Maybe it was her confidence, now that she thought about it. She could even be lazy and just say she loathed everything about this girl. She ran her fingers through her hair, letting out a frustrated, low keening noise. Something between a groan and a growl, one might say.  _She should've been easy bait! Everyone else was weak, why is **she** so...so...?! _she couldn't even finish her thought she was so mad just thinking about Moon.  
  
Her pokémon were training as she seethed in the corner. Currently, Herdier was sitting it out as Cleffa and Fomantis sparred. Nebby was still laying in the dufflebag, peeking out of it quietly to watch the spectacle. Throughout the entire sparring match, the two battling pokémon seemed to be communicating. Lillie wasn't sure who was the teacher or the student, factoring in Cleffa's own anger issues. A sudden crash from their fight knocked her out of her thoughts and she suddenly remembered the time and place she currently resided in.  
  
Fomantis was on the floor, pulling itself up and seeming almost as agitated as it's master had been. Cleffa began barking at it, almost like a drill sergeant. Lillie raised a brow at them curiously. She hadn't spent too much time with the Fomantis outside of battle. And curiously enough, upon learning they would be shut inside today, it seemed to be the first to suggest they all spar anyways. Much like Cleffa, it had a thirst for battle, a goal that it was pulling for. Unbeknownst to Lillie herself, unlike her other pokémon, it was livid that it couldn't aide her against Moon.  
  
It was much like her in it's regard for it's disgust at being weak. Surely, if it just got strong enough, the next time they faced Moon would not be so simple. Deep down, the other pokémon truly did not actually blame it's absence. After all, it was far too weak to handle any of Moon's pokémon. Lillie knew that, that's why she kept it hidden away after all. However, despite this fact, the Fomantis would accept no failure. And so, it seemed Cleffa was now it's mentor in combat. A strange duo, but an effective one nonetheless.  
  
"Cleff! Cleffy, cleff! Cleffy!"  
  
"Maaaannnn..."  
  
Lillie stood up, her now commanding voice easily breaking the moment, "Alright, that's enough!" All four pokémon turned their heads to observe their master. She put her hands on her hips, staring down at them expectantly. Quickly, they all formed a line, save for Nebby, who remained in his safe haven. "It's time for a break. Cleffy, Fomantis, come here so I can treat your wounds." Herdier scratched behind it's ear before getting back up and heading into a corner where a chew toy lay in wait for it's tingling teeth.  
  
Lillie got to work, cleaning up the dirt on the two pokémon and spraying away their bruises and scratches with a few potions Plumeria had given her just the day before. Once that was done, she handed them each a pokébean and gave them pets just where they liked them. "You're doing a good job you two. Keep this up, and our next field mission should be a breeze," she praised. The two pokémon nodded, and Fomantis turned itself around to approach the dufflebag where Nebby lay in wait. Fomantis climbed inside, sitting beside the smoggy pokémon and chatting away with it.  
  
Lillie sat down again with a sigh. Cleffa stared at her for a moment, before climbing into her lap and headbutting her abdomen in an attempt to hug her. Lillie didn't smile, but she continued to pet the small pokémon gently. "You used to do this all the time with him, didn't you? I guess you're just really good at telling when he and I aren't doing so well..." she mumbled. Cleffa looked up at her and nodded, "Cleff." She crossed her arms again and pouted, her thoughts going back to the trainer again.  
  
"It's just...we almost  _had_ her! And she was so... _ugh_! So  _infuriating_!"  
  
"Cleff?"  
  
"Oh...you don't know what I mean do you?"  
  
"Cleff cleff!"  
  
"You do, huh? So you were pretty upset too...next time, we'll just have to be way stronger, right?"  
  
The Cleffa smiled, bouncing up and down excitedly, "Cleffy! Cleff cleff! Cleffa cleff, cleffy!"  
  
Lillie giggled, giving the small pink pokémon another pet. For a moment, her childlike innocence began to resurface as she cuddled it and kept on giggling. She had a few moments like this in her spare time since coming here. After all, she did love her pokémon. And she was especially joint to the hip with Nebby, since it's condition was rather poor. Her phone buzzed, breaking the moment as she put Cleffa down to pick it up. She kept petting it with her free hand as she checked who had texted her. It was a message from Guzma.  
  
She flipped it open curiously, and her face went blank as she read it.  
  
**"Hey princess, just checkin' in on ya. Don't push yourself too much today, ok? You've earned a break."**  
  
She blinked. Yes, she supposed she  _was_ a bit active lately. Her only thought process for the last few days had been all over Moon and her failure. She flipped the phone shut, putting it in the back where Nebby and Fomantis were still chittering away. She put Cleffa down again, rising to her feet and flipping her hair back over her shoulder save for her braid. "Break time over. Herdier, to me. Cleffy and I are giving you everything we've got!" she said, prompting the Fomantis to climb out of the bag to get a far better view as Nebby peeked over the zipper again.  
  
Herdier barked, jumping to it's feet and approaching Lillie as Cleffa got back into position. Lillie nodded, "Alright. Don't hold anything back." The mutt pokémon barked again in understanding, and changed it's stance in preparation. Lillie and Cleffa exchanged one more look of understanding, before they nodded, confirming that they were ready. "Cleffy, start us off with Magical Leaf!" Lillie commanded. Through the cracked window, soaked and sharp leaves came flying at the Herdier. It managed to dodge most of them, but it was still hit by a few stray leaves.  
  
It barked, charging forward and tackling Cleffa with great force that knocked it onto it's back. However, Cleffa tucked itself in and rolled to avoid much damage, and landed safely on it's feet. Though a bit dazed, it quickly shook off the motion sickness. "Good work, Cleffy! Now, use Pound!" Cleffa returned Herdier's assault with one of it's own, knocking it square in the jaw with it's horn. It yelped in pain and stumbled back, before growling lowly. It barked again, jumping forward and biting the Cleffa in it's mouth like it's chew toy.  
  
Cleffa cried out in agony, and was quickly released. It was left with a nasty bite mark, and glared at the Herdier with a pout. Lillie smirked, "Mimic him with Copycat!" The Herdier began to sweat a bit as the Cleffa smiled maliciously, seeming to suddenly have a strange aura about it. It jumped forward, biting into Herdier and causing it to yelp again. It took the poor mutt a bit to shake off it's attacker, but it managed. It's ear twitch in agitation at how much damage it's own move did to it compared to the damage Cleffa suffered from it itself.  
  
"Cleff!" it cried, a confident smirk matching it's master's now spread on it's face. Blind agitation drove Herdier to lunge forward, and slam into Cleffa with full force. Cleffa suffered a bit of damage, but Herdier now had bruises of it's own as well. Lillie shook her head, "You're relying too much on Take Down lately, you know that?" She pointed at the mutt, "Now's your chance, Cleffy! Overwhelm him with Magical Leaf!" Once again, a slew of damp leaves flew into the Herdier and this time, it wasn't able to dodge many of them.  
  
It was now covered in scratches and cuts. And it was just barely standing. It took a moment, but eventually, it rushed forward again and tackled Cleffa down. It hit the floor much harder this time, and now it's own condition matched Herdier's nearly to a T. It laid face-down on the floor for at least a minute, and at first, Lillie was  _sure_ it had fainted. However, it miraculously pulled itself back up. Slowly, but surely. "Cleffy! You're...not done yet?" The Cleffa nodded, "Cleff...yyyyyy." It groaned as it pulled itself up for yet another entire minute.  
  
One of it's eyes were swollen shut, but it breathed heavily, as did Herdier. Fomantis and Nebby were leaning in close now, on the edge of their metaphorical seats. If Nebby had the energy, it'd have been cheering on Cleffa. Instead, it was grinning widely with excitement. Thankfully, Fomantis took it's place as the cheerleader, and hopped up and down, clapping it's scissor like arms together in a clapping motion. Lillie nodded, smiling a bit as she regained her composure. "Right! Let's finish this then. Together!"  
  
Cleffa nodded, awaiting it's certainly last order of this fight. "Finish him off with Pound!" Lillie commanded. The Herdier was helpless to even  _attempt_ to evade the attack, as it was knocked over onto it's back from one more hit to it's jaw. It yelped again, and hit the floor with a loud thud. Cleffa approached it slowly, it's face easing as it saw Herdier was completely unconscious. "C...Cleffy...? Cleffy...cleffy!" it cried. It had been victorious. Lillie smiled, and scooped up the tiny fairy pokémon as she hugged it again.  
  
"Alright, Cleffy! You did it!" she cheered, setting the pokémon back on the floor. She sprayed it with potions as best she could, as the small child wouldn't stop bouncing with excitement. "Cleff! Cleff! Cleff!" it cheered continuously. Lillie giggled. Once she had finished healing it, she turned her eyes down to her pockets to retrieve a pokébean. However, a bright shining light caught her eye. She looked up, and Cleffa had begun shining brightly with the same light that had once engulfed the blonde's Lillipup.  
  
"C-Cleffy! Are you... _evolving_?!"  
  
"Cleff? CLEFF! CLEFF! CLEFF!"  
  
The small pokémon continued bouncing, as the light consumed it and it's form began to change. It's size increased two fold, and eventually the light faded, revealing it's newly evolved form. It's horns had grown out a bit, no longer taking up nearly all of it's face. The curl of hair on it's face had gotten a bit lengthier, and puffier, and it's stubby hands now had finger-like claws as did it's feet. It's tail had curled in more and was a bit larger, and just above it was a pair of limbs that much resembled fairy wings. They were small, and it seemed they were just for show.  
  
It turned to look at Lillie again. It's once brown eyes were now a soft aqua marine. She pulled the puffy pokémon into a hug, and finally, the newly evolved Cleffy could wrap it's arms around Lillie as well. "Oh my Arceus! This is wonderful, Cleffy! You'll be able to get a  _lot_  stronger  _now_!" she praised, letting go of the fairy creature and handing it a well-deserved pokébean. Giving it a pat, she stood up, and fished her phone out of her bag to text her boss of the news. As she typed away her text, Fomantis and Nebby both observed Cleffy's new form in awe.  
  
"Fo! Fo fo?"  
  
"Cleff! Clefae!"  
  
"Peeww?!"  
  
"Clefairy! Clefairy, cleff!"  
  
The pokémon's attention was brought back to the still unconscious Herdier as it groaned. Cleffy smiled nervously, rubbing the back of it's head with guilt. Fomantis and Cleffy approached it, giving it soft pats to comfort it as they awaited their trainer's aide. Once Lillie was done texting, she called the Herdier back into it's ball. Giving her pokémon all one last pat, her bright smile lit up her face. "I-I'll be right back! I want Herdier to see this too!" she said, turning and heading down the stairs to begin her journey towards the Pokémon Center just across from her abode.

 

* * *

  
It was almost amusing how the tides had turned for the two boys. Gladion couldn't help but draw memory to the first time he had ever met Hau whilst taking care of him like this. He wondered...would they just keep going back and forth like this? He should hope not. It sounded incredibly stressful and not even worth half the trouble it caused. Though, he had to admit, it wasn't all bad, taking care of the younger boy. He wasn't as hyperactive or difficult as he presumed he would be. Which was good, but also something that raised the blonde's brow every now and again.  
  
It seemed whenever he felt bad about something, he would do his best not to make things difficult for him. Which meant despite being hyperactive and full of life during their travels, he was forcing himself to remain docile at very strange intervals. This of course, only made Gladion feel guiltier himself. And so the seemingly endless circle of each trying to appease the other continued. All of their pokémon were lounging about the motel room, their small sizes making it easy for them to prance about.  
  
Once again, Null was teasing the mewing Litten with it's claw, and the two bat pokémon were snuggling together on the TV stand. As for Pichu and Zorua, they were playing together on the floor, though gently. Hau hadn't moved off the bed since yesterday, and Gladion was sat on the floor beside Null, leaning over his back tiredly. It had to be around dusk now. They didn't do much that day, and the blonde had been worryingly quiet and miraculously distant despite the closed space of the motel room.  
  
It seemed like something was boiling in the back of his head. And Hau had his guesses as to what it could be. The older boy lifted his head as Hau hugged his knees. On top of feeling guilty about what happened to Hau the day before, he was now feeling even worse thanks to his own stubbornness.  _It's not fair to him...I should at least ask how he's doing_ he thought, sitting up completely to look Hau in the eye. He was about to speak up, when Hau had suddenly filled the gap for him.  
  
"Gladion?"  
  
The older boy was caught off-guard by this. But he didn't hesitate to indulge the younger boy, "Y...Yeah?" He sighed. Turning his head to look at the blonde, and only slightly surprised he was actually looking at him for once. He didn't let the strange occurrence interrupt his thought, however, "I don't mean to be a bother, a-and if you don't wanna hear it that's fine. But...I just wanna know...can I tell you something?" The older boy's eyes widened. A bother? Whatever gave him  _that_ impression?  
  
As soon as this question hit Gladion's thought process, the answer hit harder like a ton of bricks. Of course! He thought Gladion was angry with him! Stupid! What else was he meant to interpret from his silent treatment? After all, he already made it clear he blamed himself for what happened in Seaward Cave. And he didn't ever really ask Hau anything himself. For every question Hau had about Gladion, Gladion had next to none about him. They were supposed to be friends, Hau considered them to be that way after all.  
  
He had only ever offered information about himself whenever Gladion confided in him as a favor. To be fair to him. He couldn't let that slide. He had to fix this. He didn't want Hau to think he hated him. "You're not a bother! I'm...I'll listen to you," he replied, the panic in his eyes clear as day. Hau tilted his head a bit, blinking blankly. He hadn't expected such a reaction to the question. So, Gladion  _wasn't_ mad at him? Did he get scared by something again? It's not like he could think about that right now, the older boy was all ears to him now.  
  
"The thing is...I'm...I'm kind of scared."  
  
"You're...scared? Is it because of the Aether Foundation?"  
  
"No. I mean...I'm scared...about taking my Grand Trial."  
  
The blonde couldn't help but raise a brow. It  _was_ rather curious. Shouldn't he have been excited to go up against his grandfather? Surely it'd be the most fun part about their travels yet. At least, that's what Gladion anticipated. They seemed to get along just fine from what he observed. Was he wrong? Was it all just an act for his benefit? "You are? Why's that? I thought you'd be excited about getting to battle your grandfather," he asked. Hau scoffed, "Heh...yeah, I don't blame you for thinking that. I mean...I was. I still might be, in a way."  
  
"So what's the problem?"  
  
"Do you...remember how I told you that my father couldn't handle being the son of a Kahuna?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"And...how I said I wanted to be a Kahuna someday just like my tutu?"  
  
"...Hau...are you...?"  
  
"You already figured it out, huh?" Hau interrupted, pouting a bit.  
  
Indeed he had figured it out. A thought that Gladion hadn't yet considered came to mind. Several thoughts. Just like he had things spinning in his own mind, Hau too, had been thinking amidst the painful silence that plagued the motel room. And thanks to Gladion, he had been doing it all by himself. Thinking about things like this, the blonde couldn't fathom it when it came to the usually enthusiastic young boy. He began to think again. Shouldn't Hau be  _bothered_ by all the things he had told him about his life before?  
  
His father had left him behind out of a selfish act of self-preservation. And it seemed the people of Iki Town were hardly weary of his feelings. They would've worked harder to keep their distasteful whispers to themselves if they were. On top of that, they had probably implanted horrible anxiety in his head. Despite seeming to have accepted the reality of the rumors he'd heard...no, there was no way he was complete ok with all this. He was putting on a mask. And finally, it had been taken off.   
  
"I just...how can I live up to my tutu like that? He's so much stronger than I am. Heck, even Moon is way better than me. She's gotten so far and thanks to me we're still stuck 10 miles behind her."  
  
"Hau..."  
  
"It's stupid...and I'm even more scared that he's going to take it easy on me."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Ever since one time when I was a kid, he's been going easy on me with a lot of things. I don't wanna lose to him, but I don't think I could take winning when he wasn't giving it his best, either."  
  
Gladion remembered well what he was talking about. He looked down, the entire confession troubling him to give Hau an answer. Maybe not the one he wanted to hear, but moreso one that he needed to hear. The older boy remained silent as Hau continued, "Sorry...it's not your problem, is it? I just...wanted to tell someone." Gladion's hand clenched into a fist at this. Out of all his recent failures, Hau's loneliness was the one that disgusted him the most. Maybe they could never be friends, and one day they had to part ways, surely. For his own safety.  
  
But becoming cold was an option no longer. He had to cooperate. He had to at least meet Hau half-way. He stood up, gaining the surprised gaze of the younger boy. All eyes were on him, as every pokémon in the room had ceased whatever activity they were wrapped up in. Slowly, Gladion approached the bed where Hau was perched. And just when Hau was about to ask what he was doing, Gladion held out his hand. His eyes widened again. And while it was faint, the older boy could've sworn he saw a glint in them.  
  
Meeting eyes with his travel companion again, Hau held onto Gladion's hand with no hesitation. Gladion didn't look away this time. "You're wrong, Hau." Hau couldn't help but blink at that. He tilted his head, raising a brow at the strange statement. Gladion shook his head and continued, "Sorry...I meant...you're probably thinking you aren't ready to face him. That's...why you feel all this about your grandfather. Right?" Hau nodded, his eyes sparkling again. "Well you're wrong. You've done a lot of amazing things since we started our journey together."  
  
"But...I got myself hurt. I made you have to fend for yourself!"  
  
"That wasn't your fault."  
  
"I-"  
  
"Hau!"  
  
The blonde's grip had tightened considerably, which only made Hau blush. His eyes casted downward to their hands momentarily before locking onto Gladion's once again. "It  _wasn't_ your fault. I'm fine. You're fine. We've made it through a lot of scary stuff since we- ...Since  _you_ started yourtrials. But even if it was, Hau, you'd be a hypocrite for blaming yourself like that," he stated. Hau contemplated these words carefully. Still, there seemed to be one remaining inkling of doubt in his head as he looked down shamefully.  
  
"I screwed up."  
  
The older boy smiled, it was far too perfect, "Who  _hasn't_? You don't have to blame yourself for something out of your control."  
  
Hau's face lit up like a beacon as it turned bright red. Then, after a moment of blinking to himself, he burst out laughing. It was a reaction that Gladion wasn't  _quite_ expecting. But he politely waited for Hau to calm down. Once he did, he wiped tears that had been pricking at his eyes away and smiled up at Gladion. "Mahalo, Gladion. I'm glad I've got a friend like you here with me to talk some sense into me," he chuckled. Gladion's heart sunk a bit at this, but he mustered a false smile.  
  
"You know...you don't have to pretend like you're not bothered by these things."  
  
"You ought to follow your own advice too, hypocrite."  
  
"I'm...trying my best, honestly. But I mean it."  
  
"...It's ok."  
  
"But it's no-"  
  
The younger boy reached up his free hand, plugging Gladion's mouth with his index finger. "Shh. We'll be going in circles about this all night. It's  _ok_. I've been feeling a lot better talking to you about this stuff. So, you don't have to worry about me bottling stuff up," he explained. Gladion raised an unconvinced brow at him, and Hau returned it with one of his own. They stared each other down for what must've been at least five minutes, before finally they silently agreed to a stalemate. Though Hau took his hand off Gladion's face, his fingers were still laced between the blonde's.  
  
The older boy sighed and slumped down onto the bed beside him. He turned to look at him, his thoughts swirling again. "How about...you tell me a bit more about him, then? You said...he had a Crabominable or something?" Hau stared at him for a moment, before smiling as he beamed happily. The small pokémon returned to their previous activities as the boys began chatting away the rest of the night. There was much to sort out between them, and with themselves so far as their thoughts went. But that was another rocky road that still laid miles ahead of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, that _is_ a Heather's reference in the title. 
> 
> Hey, have you guys been enjoying this cuteness? I've got a little treat for y'all in the link down below. Enjoy, and thank you for all the reads!
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/artgurusauce/art/Make-It-Or-Break-It-Doodle-797954683


	22. Chapter 21 - We're Damaged

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillie goes out for a walk and makes an unexpected discovery, as Gladion invites Hau to have a talk about a certain someone he's been thinking about.

Again today, Po Town was stricken with a rain. This time, much less blinding and cold. Though, only a few grunts had bothered to leave their homes to battle each other or cover some untouched crevice of the town in graffiti. Lillie had added her own additions of art here or there, but none of them quite as good as some of the work of the older grunts. She was never much of an artist either way. Only two of her pokémon were resting, the other two still training together despite Lillie's encouragements to rest.  
  
She supposed their fighting spirit just couldn't be helped. She sighed boredly, staring out the cracked open window of her room. She was careful to move herself every so often when Clefairy used it's Magical Leaf and brought about an onslaught of leaves inside the room. She pouted. She wondered how long this wretched rain would last. She had been restless for quite a while now, eager to take her Clefairy outside for a little more training. After all, Guzma had already offered to help her test out it's new strength once this weather subsided.  
  
When the weather  _subsided_. She groaned, grabbing a tacky discolored umbrella that was leaning on the vanity. She walked past the battling pokémon who paid her barely any mind as they continued sparring. "Don't make too much noise or mess. I'm going for a walk," she stated, heading down the stairs without even waiting for them to acknowledge her orders. She just needed to clear her head was all. Maybe stretching her legs would help her think better.  
  
Stepping outside, she opened up the umbrella to shield herself from the wet onslaught that was falling out of the skies. It was a bit windy, but not very. She turned to look at the towering front gates of the town. She hadn't even gone out to the small pond since she returned from Melemele. She had been far too consumed in constantly forcing her colleagues to battle her so she could get stronger. That, or holing up in her room and watching her pokémon spar amongst each other.  
  
Taking a deep breath, she began towards it. Unbeknownst to her, a certain pair of amber eyes were watching her from the roof of her home. She stopped just a couple feet from the gate, staring up at it silently. It wasn't like if she opened the doors that she'd see that wretched trainer. But subconsciously, it felt like she didn't earn the right to leave just yet. She could've contemplated this for hours, frankly. Arceus only knows she had already wasted at least 10 minutes standing here trying to figure out what she wanted to do.  
  
However, her thoughts were interrupted by a faint cry. She turned around curiously. Her brow was raised, and she was completely disoriented by the sudden noise. "...Nebby? Nebby, is that you?" she asked. No response. Or at least, not in front of her. No, she was certain it was coming from the gate now. She turned back around and stared at the door. Was a pokémon, no doubt about it. She stood still for a moment as a few more cries surfaced from behind the massive doors.  
  
A plucked brow was raised at her in curiosity. When it seemed like she was going to turn around and go back inside, suddenly, Lillie scuttled forward and exited the front gates. The blonde looks around desperately. It was still raining outside the walls, and the dirt and grass were particularly unfavorable to walk through. She was subconsciously thankful for her thick boots. Suddenly, she felt something scrape against her leg. Her eyes immediately darted down, and then widened at the sight that greeted her.  
  
An incredibly fluffy and puppy-like creature limped at her feet. It was just a bit smaller than Herdier in size. It had a caramel coloring primarily, and the fluff around it's neck was a soft creamy color. It's fluffed tail was also tipped with this same creamy color, and it's ears were a bit big and rather tall. It had a tuft of wavy hair hanging down the top of it's head, only covering one of it's bulbous, brown eyes. It had several scratches and bruises, and it's fur and hair were all completely soaked, causing it to shiver.  
  
"V-V-Vee..."  
  
It was rubbing it's paw against the blonde's boot. It's large, pleading eyes stared up at her. It seemed like it may burst into tear at any moment. Lillie gasped, dropping her umbrella and scooping up the little bundle into her arms. Immediately, she turned and ran back inside. As soon as she did, she ran into Plumeria, who had long since jumped down from her roof and decided to follow and investigate. It didn't take long for her to notice the injured and crying pokémon in the girl's arms.  
  
"Is that an Eevee?"  
  
"I-I don't have time to explain! Is Marco at the help desk? I think one of it's legs is broken!"  
  
"No, but I can get it healed up, there's potions in the back. Follow me."  
  
"Lead the way!"  
  
The two darted into the Pokémon Center quickly, Plumeria hopping over the counter and hurrying into a back room. Lillie stood idly, still restless as she tried to soothe the suffering pokémon. Eventually, Plumeria returned with a few potions, and some bandages. She squatted down, looking up at Lillie expectantly, "Put it down here. I need to wrap up it's bum leg." Lillie bent down beside her mentor, placing the Eevee on the floor carefully. It squeaked in pain, and seemed to panic once it left her arms.  
  
However, Lillie soothed it quickly, petting it's head and whispering to it. Plumeria quickly got to work, spraying at the Eevee's wounds and scratches with the potions she had prepared. Once she got to it's leg, she sprayed it with a bottle that looked a bit different to the others in color, before she began wrapping it in the gauze she brought with her. "This should do it...It'll be healed up in a few days," she explained. It didn't take her long to wrap up the leg, due to the pokémon's small size.  
  
"Vee vee...?" it cried curiously, managing to pull itself up to sit. It looked up at Lillie curiously. Lillie offered it a kind smile and nodded, "You're going to be ok. You just need some rest." It didn't smile back at her, but it limped into her lap and nuzzled her abdomen lovingly. It curled into a ball, swiftly falling to sleep. Gently, she wrapped her arms around it again, pulling it up towards her chest without waking it. The two girls rose to their feet slowly, Plumeria giving the small pokémon a gentle pet.  
  
"Good thing you found it. Why don't you keep it with you since it likes ya so much?"  
  
"M-Me?"  
  
"Sure, why not? An Eevee is a pretty good pokémon you know, you can do all sorts of things with it."  
  
"Yes, that  _is_ true...I-I'll keep watch over it tonight, then."  
  
Plumeria gave her pupil a pat on the shoulder, walking past her out the door as she smirked. Lillie cradled the small pokémon as it softly snored. It was most certainly attached to her. She wondered, if she  _did_ keep it, whatever she would do with it. An Eevee had so many possibilities, this she knew well. It was a pokémon she and her brother were most familiar with. Almost every trainer had one, at least to begin with. Inherently, it had incredibly adaptable DNA that allowed it to evolve in all sorts of ways.  
  
It could be evolved with stones, in special environments, under special conditions such as the bond it's trainer shared with it, or even the time of day. It was a worldwide phenomenon, one that had existed for many years. And as time passed, it seemed more and more variants of it's ability to evolve kept surfacing. It was truly an astonishment of the field of science and pokémon evolution. Though, most commonly, it was just a domesticated pokémon recommended highly for households with children.  
  
Eventually, Lillie's sense of time returned to her and she headed back for her house. Once she came up the stairs, the still sparring Clefairy and Fomantis froze and Herdier lifted it's head. Gently, Lillie laid the Eevee on her pillow and stepped away, allowing the curious pokémon to investigated quietly. Herdier sniffed at the fluffy pokémon, as Clefairy and Fomantis merely observed it's odd appearance. Clefairy had only seen a few Eevee in it's lifetime, but it's oddly unique hair had it curious.  
  
Lillie sat beside her dufflebag, where Nebby was resting peacefully. She hugged her knees, letting her thoughts stir again. A faint but fond memory started to dwindle into the back of her head, as she pouted a bit. Growing up, her and her brother only knew few things here or there about pokémon and the way they worked. They were taught much less after their father disappeared, and so the only things they had to cling onto were faint memories of their knowledge.  
  
Often times, after their mother became more distant, it fell onto Professor Wicke to care for them. She was tasked with feeding them, watching them, and sometimes she would teach them a thing or two to know about the pokémon that wandered into their garden. Curiously enough, before they had been barred off from the Conservation Area, they had the pleasure of meeting an Eevee. It was a young pup, and a runt at that. One of the Foundation's employees had found it outside one of their stations and rescued it.  
  
And what luck, that their father was there to teach them all about it. They weren't allowed to hold it for a few days, but the familiar fluffy texture of the one Lillie had just held was much like the runt pokémon from all those years ago. Most often, Eevees, even at their youngest, were comparable to pillows. She was rather young the first time she met an Eevee, she didn't even know how to speak yet. Nonetheless, she was a curious child. She had always loved pokémon. For as long as she could remember.  
  
_"What's it called again, dad?"_  
  
_"It's an Eevee, kiddo. It's called that because it has so many evolutions."_  
  
_"Wait, you mean it has more than_ ** _three_** _?!"_  
  
_"Oh, no no no! Hehe, I meant that it can evolve in all sorts of ways."_  
  
_"Really? That's cool."_  
  
_"It's so fluffy too...how come it has so many evolutions? It looks kinda plain."_  
  
_"Nobody quite knows the answer to_ ** _that_** _, my boy. So far, all science can explain is that is has very unstable DNA that's incredibly sensitive and easily susceptible to change."_  
  
_"Su...susep-two-bull? What's that mean?"_  
  
_"Hahaha, it just means a lot of things in the environment can cause them to change their form. Sometimes they can even start to look like their trainers!"_  
  
_"_ ** _That_** _sounds creepy..."_  
  
At the time, Lillie could mostly understand what they were saying. She looked to the snoozing Eevee again. All the pokémon were quietly gathered around it and being careful not to wake it. It seemed they could not wait to meet their new guest. Lillie blinked at the sight. It was rather adorable, even she had to admit that much. Slowly, her Clefairy pulled up the blanket over the resting pokémon, careful still not to wake it. She smiled. Perhaps she  _would_ consider keeping it.

 

* * *

  
Even despite the morning hours, the whole day had been quiet. After all, nobody wished to disturb Hau's slumber. He had passed out around noon, probably from the painkillers he had been taking. The wound on his head was already starting to heal, but still, Gladion kept on replacing the bandages. The younger boy was overdue for a change that day, but he didn't feel like disturbing him. Surely, eventually, he would wake again. The purple bat pokémon and it's partner, Zubat, were quietly chatting with the other pokémon.  
  
They were sitting in a circle, talking amongst themselves. Null chimed in with a grunt every now and then, often times to calm the younger Litten and Pichu's rowdy behavior. The two bats had already apologized up and down for the misunderstanding, as did Pichu and Litten after Null lectured them into it. After all, they now had to get used to each other. Zorua was quite quick to defend it's newfound master, and worked alongside Null to diffuse any quarrels they may have still shared.  
  
Now, they were all calmly conversing, sharing each other's stories, interests, and even a few boasts of their feats. Currently, Litten and Pichu were recounting the tale of the young Zorua's hour of peril at the hands of the Skull Gang. The young Zorua, who had never heard the tale before, was leaned in with interest as were the bat pokémon beside it. A couple times, Null chided the children to speak less loudly. And they complied, though not without slight embarrassment.  
  
It was an amusing sight, especially for a certain blonde youth who was leaned against one of the walls of the motel room. The sun had long began to set, though now it seemed the night sky was consuming the bright oranges and reds that were leftover. Finally, and almost as if on cue, Hau stirred just as the sun vanished over the horizon. He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes and yawning a bit. The pokémon all turned up their heads at him, a couple jumping to their feet.   
  
Gladion walked up to the bed, placing his hand on Hau's head to check his temperature. "How are you feeling?" he asked, not wasting a moment to start taking off his dirty, now loose bandages. Hau was still coming out of his subconscious, and answered in a tone much like a robot, "Mm...fine." The blonde went into the bathroom, quickly retrieving the gauze before returning and replacing Hau's old bandages. "You fell asleep. It's about 7:00 now, I think," the older boy explained.  
  
Normally Hau would be doing most of the work himself. But he was still a bit disoriented from his nap, so Gladion was on his own this time. Luckily, he seemed to be a quick learner. "7:00?" Hau asked, still rubbing at his eyes. Gladion nodded with a sheepish expression as he paused in his work briefly. "Y...Yes. You...fell asleep at Noon. The painkillers must've made you drowsy," he explained again, slowly, so that Hau could absorb the information more easily.  
  
His eyes widened a bit. He was much more awake now, and slowly he lowered his hand from his face. "O...Oh. I guess they did. You weren't bored, were you?" he asked, letting Gladion continue his work on his head with no complaint. Gladion shook his head, "No. You don't have to worry about it. But I am glad that you're awake now. There's...something I need to do." Hau raised a brow at him as he sneered in confusion. "What's that? Do you need me to help you with something?"  
  
Finally, Gladion finished wrapping the bandages. Picking up the roll of gauze, he glanced at Hau as he began towards the bathroom. "Meet me outside. It's important." As soon as he put the roll away, he exited the motel room and left Hau dumbfounded. The pokémon, still on the floor, including Null, were much the same. The whole day, he hadn't really said much. he had fed them before after Hau fell asleep and just an hour ago, but most of the talking in the room came from them.  
  
However, Null remembered Hau and Moon's conversation and grunted uneasily. He turned to the children pokémon who were curious to his reaction. Hau thought nothing of it as the Null began explaining to the curious younglings, and was left with his own thoughts amidst the chittering. His mind began rewinding to the past couple of days. Just yesterday, Gladion had given him the silent treatment. And while they eventually worked it out, he never did know why it was his demeanor had suddenly seemed to reset.  
  
Just like Gladion hadn't noticed Hau was troubled, Hau didn't notice Gladion was stricken with unpleasant thoughts himself. Mentally, he kicked himself. But it didn't last long as he tried to think of what it was that Gladion could've been troubled by. And then, just like Null, his memory of what Moon and Rotom had told him resurfaced.  _Wait a minute...didn't Rotom say that girl had blonde hair and...?_ his train of thought trailed off. It was completely crazy, borderline conspiracy.  
  
After all, what were the chances either of them were connected at all? But, then again...he remembered how Gladion spoke whenever he talked about his family. It was as if he was intentionally erasing someone from the picture. Was it even possible? Now he  _had_ to know. He stood up without a word, and walked past the still chattering children as he stepped outside. It was a fairly breezy and cool night tonight. Nowhere near freezing, certainly, but not all that warm either.  
  
He turned, and saw Gladion leaned against the fence on the edge of the parking lot, staring out at the sea. He quickly made his way over to him, standing beside him and leaning onto the fence as well. The older boy looked up, seeming surprised he actually came. "H-Hey. Is everything ok? You're not upset are you?" Hau asked, his eyes filled with worry. Gladion sighed, "Yes...I mean, n-not at you. There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."  
  
"O-Oh. Sure, anything you need!"  
  
"I...overheard you talking to Moon the other day."  
  
"Did something she say bother you?"  
  
"Yes. It's...it's why I didn't talk to you before."  
  
Hau frowned. So it was indeed about that...but was it what he thought it was? What else could it be? If it was what he was thinking, maybe Gladion felt like he  _needed_ to keep his mouth shut. Maybe it'd be safer for everyone if he didn't say anything. If that was the case... "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Gladion," Hau stated. Gladion seemed unsurprised by this response, but his own retort was one that Hau wasn't expecting to hear, "N...No. It's alright. I trust you..."  
  
Hau blushed, "You...do?"  
  
"You've been taking care of me, and...you said before that we're friends."  
  
"Yeah...I said that. But you don't feel the same way, right?"  
  
Gladion sighed, "I...I-I don't know. I know that I owe a lot to you."  
  
"You don't owe me anything!" Hau waved his hands nervously.   
  
Gladion raised a curious brow at this boy, can't he make up his mind already? Or maybe it was Gladion that was acting off...he couldn't say for sure. He certainly wasn't very decisive himself. It was hard to be, given the circumstances. He couldn't help but smile at Hau's embarrassment. Usually it was Gladion that was flustered between the two. Something about this side of Hau looked... _cute_? The sudden thought made Gladion's eyes widen a bit as his face turned a bit red. He turned away and stopped smiling, and Hau noticed.  
  
"Hey...are you ok?" he asked, putting his hands down again. Gladion took a deep breath. This was it. Once he said it, there'd be no going back. He hoped desperately that he wasn't making a grave mistake. He truly, sincerely did trust Hau. The only barrier between them was the fear that Lusamine had left squirming in the recesses of his mind. "I...I wasn't the only one that my mother tortured," he said, his breath shaky and his eyes trailed downwards.  
  
He couldn't look him in the eye. If he did, he'd immediately change his mind. Hau's eyes widened. Was it really exactly what he thought it was? It was a coincidence, surely. It was most certainly a one in a million chance. It had to be. "Wh...What?" he said, seeming taken aback by the confession. Gladion bit his lip. He was still hesitating, but he continued to keep eye contact away from Hau. He couldn't look at him. He had to tell him.   
  
"The truth is...I have a little sister."  
  
"...Wh...what's her name...?"  
  
"...Her name is Lillie," Gladion said, finally mustering the courage to glance at Hau. Now that it was out in the open, he could no longer escape. "...She's the one Moon ran into." There was no denying it now. It was exactly what he was thinking. Hau took a long time to formulate some kind of response. Something, anything to say. But he had failed to speak up in time before Gladion continued. "I had my doubts when Rotom first described her, but when Moon said her name...I knew there was no doubt about it."  
  
"But...I don't understand."  
  
"I didn't either. But...it made perfect sense when I started to think about it."  
  
"It did?"  
  
"Mmhm. It's because...I failed her."  
  
Hau raised a brow at this. He couldn't help but feel somewhere in his gut that Gladion was just blaming himself for something that wasn't his fault again. He didn't know for sure, but he was almost certain of it. Frantically, he tried to dispel this thought.  
  
"What? Wh-Why? You had nothing to do with-"  
  
"Because I left her behind!"  
  
The silence that followed made both their hearts sink. It was true, there was definitely nobody else near the crash site. At least, not that Hau's grandfather could apparently find. Luckily, nobody was on the beach since it was storming so violently. Hala just happened to be holed up in a building nearby when it happened. And Gladion had been intentionally not mentioning his sister this whole time. Which meant up until now, he definitely didn't want anyone to know about her.  
  
But the why to that was still up in the air. He knew that he had left her behind. Maybe he just didn't wanna feel more guilty? That or he just plain didn't want to talk to anyone about it. Hau knew that if he was Gladion, he'd feel a little bad about it himself. If what he said about his mother was true, that is. Perhaps in his panic he had just forgotten about her. After all, his escape sounded incredibly dangerous and complicated. Suddenly, Gladion continued again, his eyes shut tightly as he tried not to cry.  
  
"I stole Null, and took off, and I didn't go back for her! I was selfish...all I could think about was to protect Null. What's worse is I never intended to return home...in fact, I intended to run farther." He opened his eyes, which were now glazed. Slowly, he turned to look at Hau before he kept going, "But then...I met you and your grandfather. I felt  _safe_...I still do." He brought a closed hand up to his chest, looking downward again. He couldn't take it anymore. Tears finally came to his eyes and slowly began to slide down his face.  
  
"And because I left her behind she ran into the arms of criminals for protection. She probably  _hates_ me..." he whimpered, covering his eyes with his hands. Hau stared at him sadly. He  _hated_ seeing Gladion struggle like this. He couldn't even begin to imagine how the older boy was feeling right now. He was an only child, after all. But he realized he didn't have the luxury of trying to think of such things right now. He said it himself. He...he truly felt safe with him. He  _trusted_ Hau.  
  
Hau placed a hand on Gladion's shoulder. He wasn't entirely conscious of the touch, he could only think to comfort Gladion. "Gladion, you don't know that! She could just be scared just like you!" The blonde looked up with a gasp upon contact. Tears ran down Gladion's face and Hau's eyes widened a bit. He didn't think about what he was doing, and wiped them away with his hand, leaving his palm on Gladion's cheek. The older boy didn't register it, all he had registered was Hau's words.  
  
"I...I'm a coward! All I know how to do is run! I should've helped her...! I should've taken her with me! I should've-!"  
  
"Gladion!"  
  
Gladion finally snapped out of it, and saw Hau staring at him with a worry that was practically alien to him. Had he...caused Hau to frown like this? His cheek felt warm, something he also hadn't noticed before. It was definitely familiar, and it caused him to blush. He was still crying, but his eyes were gleaming with something that resembled adoration as he gazed into Hau's dark eyes. Strangely, despite how much he hurt inside, he never felt safer.  
  
"S...Stop. You don't have to do this to yourself. You're  _not_ a coward! Your mother is a coward. She hurt you and your sister and you both felt so upset you ran away! I couldn't imagine ever being that mad at my tutu, or anyone else...but I know if I  _was_ that mad it'd be for a reason."   
  
"H-Hau...I've made so many mistakes. I've done so much wrong by her. How can I ever forgive myself for that?  
  
"The past doesn't matter anymore, Gladion...look at me. You're  _here_. Right now  _we're_ here. Do you see that?"  
  
The younger boy was indeed correct. He couldn't help but come back to reality at these words. Truly, he had a talent for saying exactly what the blonde needed to hear.  _Wanted_ to hear. Gladion nodded, wiping the rest of his tears away himself. The action made Hau realized how he was touching Gladion, and he pulled back both his hands as he blushed quietly. Gladion could feel the cold return to his cheek when Hau took his hand away...and something about it bugged him.   
  
Eventually, they both managed to compose themselves. Hau offered a gentle smile, as he took Gladion's hand. The older boy blushed, but he didn't pull it away. Their fingers intertwined, and slowly, Gladion returned Hau's smile hesitantly. "Wanna go back inside?" the younger boy asked. Gladion turned his gaze away from Hau, instead staring up at the stars with a sparkle in his eyes. "No...not yet. I...I kinda wanna stargaze again," he said, still blushing.  
  
Hau followed his eyes up towards the stars. It was a beautiful night out tonight. One that was perfect for stargazing. The two boys spent the rest of the chilly night doing just that. There were still a few things that weren't clear between them, but right now, they both knew that before anything else, they needed to start communicating better. It was certainly a hard road ahead of them, but they were both ready to take it on together now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Excited gay screaming* _**1,000+ READS OH MY GLOB**_ O.O
> 
> Thank you so so so sooooo much, you guys are the _best_! I'm glad I can give you guys something you can all enjoy as much as I do. I appreciate _all_ your love and support, have all the virtual hugs in the world!  
> ~♥♥♥


	23. Chapter 22 - More Than A Grand Trial Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moon begins her Grand Trial with Hala, as the boys watch eagerly on the sidelines.

By now, their morning routine was much more stable. Upon Hau's waking, Gladion had taken off his bandages for the last time. Hau was thankful that today, he didn't need any medication, as the pain in his skull had finally subsided. The older boy allowed Hau to brush out his bangs once again, no longer the least bit flustered by it. Only a few days had gone by since they had began their journey together, but they were undoubtedly much closer than they used to be.  
  
After giving the Zubat and it's partner one more moment together, they were called back into their balls as were most of the other pokémon. Save for a certain black and red colored kitten, and a similarly colored baby fox. Since it's birth, the past few days in the motel room gave it opportunity to stretch it's legs and become used to the world around it. It was even mentored by the feline pokémon, and was officially combat ready, at least for anything nearby Iki Town's roadways.  
  
Slinging his satchel around himself and pulling his hood up over his face, Gladion looked down at his partner. "You sure about this, buddy?" he asked, still seeming uneasy with the idea. The Zorua nodded, nuzzling the blonde's ankle lovingly. He couldn't help but smile. "You're the boss," he joked, turning to check on Hau who was putting his own back pack on around his arms. He beamed excitedly, "Think we'll actually make it back this time?"  
  
The older boy chuckled, "I should hope so. But who knows? Just don't bump your head again." Hau chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. After making sure everything was in place, they set out of their motel room for what would surely be the last time. At least for now. Once they entered Route 3 once again, Gladion scooped up his Zorua and held it close. He was still a bit weary of any bird pokémon that might swoop down at them again, but his vigilance was boosted thanks to this.  
  
It didn't take long for Hau to start making conversation to break the tense mood. "So uhhh, I'm trying not to do this so much, but I gotta ask you something," he said, turning to look at Gladion who was trailing behind him a little out of habit. Gladion's eyes came down from above him and trained on Hau's instead. "O-Oh. What's that?" he asked. "Well...now that I know you've got a sister and all...it wasn't your mother who painted your Cleffa's pokéball was it?"  
  
"Oh, that? Yeah, it was my sister. S-Sorry for lying before," he said, looking down sadly. Hau waved his hands nervously again and gave a sheepish look, "N-No no! It's ok! I was just wondering." Gladion gave him a warm smile. Suddenly his face went blank, and Hau mimicked it out of curiosity. Slowly, their eyes locked again as Gladion spoke up. "Um, you know, since it'll take us a bit to get there...I was thinking..."  
  
Hau raised a brow at him, leaning in slightly to hear him better. He was walking backwards now. Inadvisable, but he knew the older boy would alert him to anything ahead of him. "Could...you teach me some more Alolan?" Hau stopped dead in his tracks, prompting Gladion and Litten to do the same. The younger boy blushed, and his heart was pounding a bit.  _What's wrong with me...?_ he thought, still staring at the blonde in complete silence.  
  
Gladion blinked, "Um...Hau?" Hearing his name snapped him right out of it as he shook his head to clear his thoughts. "E-Er, sorry! Sure," he replied, mustering a smile as he turned himself around, slowing down his steps to keep himself beside Gladion. The feline followed suit, swaying it's tail as it stared up at it's master with curious eyes. How strange, that humans could be so oblivious to the most obvious things. It sighed to itself, as the younger boy began his eager language lessons.  
  
"So, what do you wanna know first?"  
  
"Well, I already know that 'hello' is Alola..."  
  
"It also means goodbye sometimes, actually."  
  
Gladion pouted, "That's kinda weird..."  
  
Hau couldn't help but chuckle, "Yeah, I guess it is, huh?"  
  
"And...you said you call your grandpa tutu. Thank you is mahalo. Hmm...what is 'You're welcome'?"  
  
"That would be 'Noʻu ka hauʻoli'."  
  
" _That's_ a bit of a mouthful," Gladion japed.  
  
"Yeah, a little bit. Oh, and if you mean to say 'Welcome' like a greeting to someone entering your home, you say, 'E komo mai'."  
  
"I see," the older boy said, his thoughts swirling a bit. He couldn't help but think back to his earlier days of childhood. His father had always lived in Alola, and his mother was from the elegant region of Kalos. One would've expected him to be more multi-lingual, but it just didn't turn out that way. Of course, he did remember one or two Alolan or Kaloch phrases and words he had heard here and there. He turned to Hau, his eyes lighting up with wonder and intrigue.  
  
"Do...you know what 'Hale' means?" Hau was taken aback Gladion actually knew the word. He raised a brow at him, grabbing at the straps of his backpack, "You know that one?" The older boy nodded, "It's...something my dad used to say sometimes. He said it whenever he was referring to his home island, here on Melemele." Hau smiled, "Oh, well, it means just that. 'Home'. So your dad spoke Alolan? How come  _you_ don't know any, then?"  
  
Gladion looked away from Hau, frowning at the ground. "Well...I didn't know him for very long before we lost him. Besides, he and mother were always wrapped up in their work. So they didn't really have time to teach me stuff like that. My mother knew a bit of Kaloch, but I never learned much of it. I only know a few words they've said before." Hau pouted a bit, feeling a bit sorry for his friend. However, it was replaced with intrigue as he suddenly registered something else his older friend had said.  
  
"Wait, your mother spoke Kaloch? What words do you know?"  
  
"I...don't know what any of them mean, Hau," Gladion admitted, sweating a bit.  
  
Hau beamed, "That's ok! I just wanna hear some fancy words!"  
  
Gladion rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but smile in amusement. Hesitantly, he decided to entertain the younger boy. "Well, whenever my mother was mad, she would say 'Tais-toi!' I never figured out what it meant, but I'm sure it's nothing flattering." Hau's eyes sparkled in adoration, "Woooaaahhh! Even when they're mad it sounds elegant! Tell me some more!" Gladion pulled at the back of his head. She didn't really say as much in Kaloch as his father did in Alolan, but he knew he had heard a few more things.  
  
"Hmm, whenever she greeted one of her close friends from Kalos, she would say 'Comment allez-vous'."  
  
"Must be a way to say hello. Anything else?"  
  
"Well...whenever my parents were flirting, she would say 'Embrasse-moi' and 'Je t’aime'."  
  
"Hehe, you probably thought it was gross, huh?" Hau teased, sticking his tongue out at Gladion. The blonde simply rolled his eyes and shook his head. Of course, Hau wasn't wrong. Any kid at his age found such flirtatious behavior to be "icky". Thankfully, he had long since grown out of this juvenile mindset. Though he wondered, what it'd be like to have a person like that in his life. Suddenly, Gladion remembered something else his father used to say, just as his thoughts drifted into this question.  
  
He turned to Hau with his brow raised, "Say, you said alola is a greeting and a farewell, right?" Hau nodded, "Mmhm. Why do you ask? Did your dad used to say it?" Gladion nodded. Looking down at his Zorua who was listening intently. "Well, my father used to say it to my mother, but...the way he said it has me confused now," he stated. Before Hau could even ask anything else, the blonde continued, "He...used to say it to her when they were being romantic with each other."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"He would say things like, 'You look pretty tonight, alola.'"  
  
Hau's face turned red and he scratched his cheek. He knew what that use meant all-too-well. His mother often still referred to his father with that phrase. He didn't really understand it, and sometimes, he wish he still didn't. He didn't hate his father, but he still didn't feel that he deserved to be endeared. Sometimes he envied the level his mother could remain blissfully hopeful. He himself had much of this trait for himself, but she was on a whole other plane of zen on that front.  
  
"Oh. I guess I forgot. There's another meaning to alola besides greetings and farewells."  
  
"There is? Just how many ways can you use it, anyways?"  
  
"Hehe, just those 3, promise."  
  
"So, what else can it mean, then?"  
  
"Well, um...it can also mean-"  
  
Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted as they stepped back onto Route 1. Suddenly, Zorua leapt out of Gladion's arms, and dove forward. At first, neither boy knew what it was doing, until that is, it knocked into something mid-air. Knocking it, and the opposing force back and onto the ground. Litten cried out in surprise, as did the boys. "Zorua!" Gladion called, worriedly. The Zorua pulled itself up, un-scaved by the hit, miraculously. Everyone looked up to see a small puppy pokémon pulling itself up as well.  
  
Finally, it all clicked into place as to what had happened. Immediately, Hau jumped on Gladion out of instinct, "Hanini! A-Are you ok?" Gladion nodded, keeping his attention focused on the wild pokémon. It was primarily a light powdery brown color, though it's muzzle, ears, and paws were tipped in a darker chocolate color. Around it's neck was a white patch of fur, and it seemed as though there were stray rocks and rubble lodged within it. It's fluffy, curled tail much resembled this patch in color. It glared at them with bright blue eyes, it's pink nose scrunched in anger.  
  
It was clear that it had felt threatened in some manner. But the blonde couldn't help but wonder why that was. It's not like they approached it or anything. A thought hit Hau as he also tried to think of an explanation. "It's...just a pup. What's it doing here all by itself?" After he had asked the obvious question, they had only just now noticed how scuffed up the poor thing was. And on the tip of it's tail was the torn up bits of what looked to be some kind of net. Now it all began to make sense.  
  
"Pokémon Poachers..." Hau muttered. Gladion looked to him in confusion, "Poachers? You're saying...someone tried to snatch this thing for some kind of profit?" Hau nodded sadly. It was never a pleasant topic amongst any pokémon trainers or pokémon enthusiasts. Usually, the most harmless offense that was on record was cutting off Slowpoke tails and selling them off without a permit, since their tails grew back with time. However, it didn't really stop there with the possibilities. With how many unique and strong pokémon there were, they all had a use for Poachers.  
  
"Yeah...I think...it must've escaped. It's probably scared, it doesn't know we're not with them," Hau explained, staring at the angrily confused puppy sadly. Gladion turned his attention back to it as well, staring at it blankly for a few moments. To Hau's surprise, he pulled a pokéball out of his satchel. "Hanini! You're...gonna catch it?" he said, not hiding even remotely how flabbergasted he was. Gladion smiled at him and nodded, "I've been thinking about what you said. I think...I might like this whole pokémon trainer thing. Besides, I've managed to catch one pokémon in battle so far. How hard can it be?"  
  
Hau couldn't help but grin, as his Litten rolled it's eyes and sighed with grief. Oh, how so ignorant humans could be sometimes. As they both turned their attention to the wild pokémon again, Hau nodded. "Right! I recognize this one. It's a Rockruff. It's a rock type, so normal type moves won't do too much damage." he explained. Gladion nodded to confirm he heard this advice, and pointed at the Rockruff. "Right! Then let's start off with Pursuit!" the blonde commanded.  
  
The small fox pokémon dashed forward, crashing into the Rockruff with tremendous force. The pup yelped and stumbled backwards, shaking any dirt off of itself before growling in irritation. Suddenly, the Rockruff kicked up dust from the dirt at the Zorua, and it stumbled back, shaking it's head to dispel the particles from it's eyes. Unfortunately, it couldn't quite manage to rub the rubble off. "Zorua, are you ok?" the Zorua nodded, barking with determination. Hau's eyes widened a bit, "That was Sand Attack! It's lowering his accuracy so it can't be hit!"  
  
"I gotta try  _something_...Zorua, Pursuit, again!" The baby pokémon tried to repeat it's previous attack, but it ended up running itself right into a tree. Leaving a shiny new bruise on it's forehead as it stumbled in confusion. It shook it's head again, trying to focus on it's target. The Rockruff growled, glaring menacingly at the Zorua with eyes full of malice. The fox stumbled backwards a bit, it's ears folding back as it became nervous under it's stare. "Dammit...if it keeps impairing Zorua like that, he won't be able to do anything to defend himself!"  
  
"Don't give up, you still have the upper-hand!" Hau cheered. Litten hissed up at his master, it's desire for him to calm down going unheard and unacknowledged, much to it's annoyance. "Zorua, snap out of it! Use Scratch!" The Zorua shook it's head again, and growled. It was fairly certain it could pinpoint it's target now, and leapt forward, the claws in it's paws extending and allowing it to knock the pup back. The Rock ruff slid across the dirt floor. As soon as it was stopped, it began picking itself up. But the blonde wouldn't give him a chance to recover.  
  
Pushing the button to increase it size beforehand, he tossed the pokéball at the Rockruff. The pup cried out in surprise as it was engulfed in it's light. It snapped shut, and hit the ground. Zorua breathed heavily, seeming near exhausted from it's battle already. However, the wobbling of the ball kept getting more and more erratic, rather than more docile with every twitch. Suddenly, it burst open, and the Rockruff came charging out of the light again, knocking into Zorua and slamming it into the ground with full fury.  
  
"Uh oh!"  
  
"Damn...that was my last pokéball!"  
  
"Hanini, use this!"  
  
Gladion looked up, catching it in time when Hau tossed him a ball he hadn't seen before. It was blue, and had a single, opened, red strip running across the top part of it. He looked to Hau in confusion, silently asking for an explanation. "It's a Great Ball! It's got a 50% higher success rate than normal pokéballs! It's really good for the more rowdy pokémon!" he explained. Gladion quickly took out Zorua's pokéball, switching him out as he was far too disoriented for this fight. Instead, he called forth his Zubat, who upon being summoned, screeched menacingly.  
  
"Zubat, confuse it with Supersonic!" Gladion commanded. Once again, the Zubat screeched in an odd pitch, the sound waves rattling the poor pup's ear drums and causing it's eyes to swirl as it stumbled. It whimpered in a low keening noise of disorientation. It tried to jump up and tackle the bat, but it missed by nearly a mile and fell face-first into the ground. It seemed unscathed by the fall, but it was definitely unable to tell up from down and couldn't pull itself up. Once again, it was left defenseless.  
  
Zubat ducked out of the way as it's master tossed another ball at the Rockruff. This time, the pup didn't even register it as it was consumed in the light once again. The wobbling was a bit less erratic this time, slowly getting less and less violent as it went on moving about. Finally, after a full minute, it made a click as it ceased it's movements. Hau jumped up in the air, grabbing Gladion's hands and continuing to jump up and down in excitement. "Hanini, you did it! You caught it! That was so cool!" Hau cheered.  
  
Gladion smiled, "It was a lot easier  _this_  time. Thanks for the Great Ball." Pulling his hands away from Hau's he picked up the pokéball and stared at it for a moment. Hau tilted his head curiously, grabbing at the straps of his backpack again. Litten mimicked it's master's confused expression as well. The older boy looked up at his Zubat, who seemed curious as well. He nodded, throwing the ball up in the air to call out the newly-capture Rockruff. It immediately began shaking off the dirt that was still stuck to it from it's encounter.  
  
As soon as it saw Gladion, it began growling aggressively again as it backed away from him. The blonde blinked back at it, before slowly leaning down to meet it's eyes. The Rockruff continued growling, get more and more vicious as the boy reached into his satchel. It lunged forward, snarling loudly as he pulled something out. Hau gasped in shock, but he was even more surprised when the pup suddenly stopped. It's face turned blank as it blinked. The blonde boy was holding out a strangely shaped orange bean.  
  
It could recognize from the smell that this was an edible source of food. However, after sniffing it some more, it glared at Gladion defensively. The blonde smiled, "Hey, if I wanted to poison you, I wouldn't have caught you, now would I?" The Rockruff sat down expectantly, still glaring up that older boy. At first, he simply blinked back in confusion. Until that is, he realized the pup was still incredibly damaged. Slowly, and being careful to let the Rockruff give him a look of approval first, he pulled out a potion from his bag.  
  
"You must be really tired, huh? Come closer. I need to spray your wounds," he ordered gently. Hesitantly, the pup stood up and inched close enough to Gladion so that it could be treated. Carefully, the boy sprayed away all the scratches and bruises left behind from it's certainly long day. Finally, he pulled off the piece of net still tucked on it's tail and tossed it aside. Slowly, he held out the bean again and the Rockruff sniffed at it. It  _was_ hungry, but it still was unsure about the boy. Eventually, it decided it could trust him...for now.  
  
Gladion stood up and stepped back as the pup devoured the tasty treat. Once it was done, they exchange a look, before the Rockruff nodded. Hesitantly, Gladion called it back into it's ball and tucked the ball away in his bag. He called back his Zubat as well, just before summoning back his Zorua. The Zorua coughed, dust still plaguing it's eyes and a few scratches about it's body from it's first real battle. Hau dug into his own backpack, pulling out a pokémon brush and handing it to Gladion. "Here, Hanini. This should help get the dust off."  
  
The older boy briefly thanked him, turning and tending to his pokémon as he took the brush. After another pokébean, a potion and some praises, the Zorua was fit as a fiddle once more. It hopped with excitement, and barked impatiently, wanting to continue onward. Gladion chuckled, standing up once again and turning to Hau to give him back his brush. "Come on. We're almost in Iki Town. Moon must be ready to explode with anticipation right about now," he chuckled. Hau blushed in slight embarrassment but laughed it off.  
  
"Ehehe...yeeeaaahhh..."

 

* * *

  
Popplio flipped about in amusement as it's trainer dangled a cute toy above it's head, trying desperately to capture it's prey. Unfortunately, it seemed it never would. Rotom recorded the adorable sight, at Moon's request that is. Her impatience and irritation had long since faded since she last saw the boys. She didn't mean to be so hard on them, but truly, it was hard not to be. After all, she wanted her rival to be in good health. And it was clear he cared deeply for his companion as well.  
  
She couldn't help but care for them in return. And of course, she sympathized deeply with Hau in quite a few regards. One of which being her protective nature over the elder boy among them. It felt a little strange to babysit him, but he seemed so vulnerable, it became normal.  _And here I was worried I wouldn't be able to make any friends_ she thought, smirking with amusement. Once again, she couldn't help but think of how close the boys were with each other.  
  
Then, as if on cue, 2 shadows casted over her and her Popplio, prompting her to look up. To her surprise, there stood a certain green-haired and peppy boy and his blonde, shy travel companion. They were holding hands, and at their feed stood 2 black and red colored pokémon. One a familiar feline, and the other...a baby fox? She stood up, putting the toy away in her purse and addressing the boys. "Well well well, look who finally decided to show up," she pouted.  
  
Hau chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. "S-Sorry, Moon. We got a little side-tracked on the way over, but we made it before it got too dark this time!" Moon eyed up the black fox pokémon as she squatted down to meet it's eyes, "And who's  _this_ little bundle of joy? One of yours, Hau?" Hau shook his head, "Nope!  _That_ one belongs to Hanini!" Moon's brows perked up as she stood back up to look at the blonde. "Really?  _You_ caught this?"  
  
The older boy blushed and pouted, "I-It wasn't all that hard. It imprinted on me after it was born, so it was caught willingly. My  _Zubat_ and  _Rockruff_ , however..." Moon's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "W-Woah! You're gonna be a trainer? I thought you wanted to get out of dodge," she asked, putting her hands on her hips. "No reason I can't do both, is there?" he retorted, tilting his head a bit. Moon raised a brow at him, rubbing her chin with her index finger thoughtfully.  
  
"Are you  _sure_ you're the same Gladion I talked to at Hala's place just a week ago?" Her eyes trained down to their hands, and they both noticed. They blushed, and while Gladion's grip began to loosen under Moon's stare, Hau's only grew tighter. He noticed, but he didn't look at Hau or give himself away. His thoughts just kept swirling with nonsense to explain it. Moon giggled and finally stopped teasing them, putting her hands on her hips again as she smirked with confidence.  
  
"Welp! Since you slowpokes finally made it...you ready for the trial?" Hau's face lit up and his embarrassment all but vanished, though his grip remained firm. "Oh, you bet! I'm sure you'll do real amazing!" he beamed. Moon turned, and her Rotom immediately began beeping with excitement. Popplio waddled back to keep pace with Zorua and Litten, and the 3 began chattering away about their adventures to one another. The boys followed after Moon's lead.  
  
As they climbed up a set of stairs to get back to the area where Hala's house sat, a thought occurred to Gladion. Hau didn't noticed as the older boy turned his head to look at him.  _Is...he still nervous about his trial?_ he thought. He couldn't help but pity Hau. As Moon went to speak with Professor Kukui, who was leaned against a stage that took up most of the clearing, the blonde squeezed Hau's hand in return to his own tight grip. This made Hau's blush return, but he didn't look at Gladion.  
  
"...You'll do great out there, Hau. E...e aho."  
  
Hau's eyes widened a bit as he finally turned to look at the older boy, "You..."  
  
"O-Oh...maybe that didn't mean what I remembered."  
  
"No, I...thank you. But, how did you-"  
  
"My dad used to say it to me whenever I was scared."  
  
Hau couldn't help but smile sweetly. He looked away shyly, and Gladion did the same. Their moment was broken as Rotom called out to them to get their attention. They instantly looked up, and made their way over to Moon and Rotom. "The Kahuna will be outside in just a fe-e-ew minutes! Zzt! Moon's apparently going to go first!" he explained as Moon placed her Popplio up onto the stage. Hau nodded, and Litten mewed up at the Popplio, wishing it luck in it's endeavors.  
  
Eventually, from the small home, the familiar old man had emerged. Moon put on her most serious expression, making her way up the steps to stand upon the stage. Hala did the same, facing across from her by a significant enough distance to allow room for their pokémon to move. Litten climbed up Hau's back, perching onto his shoulder to get a better view, and Gladion picked up his Zorua to help him see better as well. Moon took out her Z-Crystal, holding it up to prove her success in passing her trial.  
  
Hala nodded in acceptance of her evidence, and she tucked it back into her bag. "Congratulations on clearing your trial in the Verdant Cavern, good work. So, I suppose you're here to finally take my Grand Trial? You think you and your pokémon are ready for me, Moon?" Moon nodded, "I'll wipe the floor with you, old man! That's a promise!" The old man smirked, stomping his feet as if to pump himself up and doing a strange pose. Gladion sweat a bit, but Hau beamed in excitement.  
  
"Then allow me to properly greet you, young adventurer! I am Hala, the Kahuna of Melemele Island! Shall we begin? The final trial will be a pokémon battle against me. It is known as the Grand Trial! Young Moon, you have been entrusted with the Z-Ring by Tapu Koko! Now show me you and your team's full power. Do you understand?"  
  
"Yes. I accept your challenge!"  
  
"Then let the trial begin!"  
  
Gladion didn't look to Hau, but he whispered quietly, "This sure is intense...it hasn't even started yet, has it?" Hau nodded, still grinning. "I know, right? That's why he's so cool...!" Without wasting another moment, Hala tossed a pokéball into the air, and summoned a small, gray, and humanoid looking pokémon that was about the size of a small child. It had three brown ridges on top of it's head, large red eyes, and a relatively flat face. It's rib-cage was strangely visible, though it didn't seem starved. And it had a short, stubby tail.  
  
"Popplio! Start us out with Bubble!" Moon commanded, and her Popplio unleashed a slew of bubbles that popped violently against the opposing pokémon's skin. It was left with a few bruises, but it wasn't damaged too badly just yet. "Machop, Focus Energy!" Hala bellowed. The Machop closed it's eyes, and took a deep breath as it flexed it's muscles. Rotom began bouncing about with excitement, "Ohhh! It's focusing it's power! Zzt!" Moon raised a brow at this, but decided to not let it distract her.  
  
"Hit it with Water Gun!"  
  
"Pop!"  
  
The sea-lion shot a strong spray of water out of it's mouth, knocking the Machop back and bruising it a bit more. Still, though, it seemed it wasn't doing anything in particular to harm it.  _Dammit...none of her water attacks are getting us any headway. It's not resistant, but it's not weak to them either...I gotta figure out a weakness, but I don't know what his pattern is yet!_ she mentally panicked. Before she could keep thinking of a better move, however, the old man yelled out his next attack.  
  
"Now! Use Revenge!"  
  
"No-o-ot good! Zzt!"  
  
Suddenly, the Machop charged forward and punched Popplio back with great force. Popplio cried out in pain, landing with a hard crash against the wood floor of the stage. It was bruised up really badly, and it struggled a bit to pull itself back up. Moon was caught completely off-guard by this. "Popplio!" she cried. Gladion raised a brow in confusion, "I-I don't get it...is it weak to fighting type attacks?" Hau shook his head, grabbing the straps of his back pack as he turned his head to meet the blonde's eyes.  
  
"No, see, Revenge is a move that's best used when your opponent attacks  _you_ first. And because tutu used Focus Energy, the chance of his Machop landing a critical hit went up, too," he explained. Gladion's eyes widened a bit in realization. "I-I see...so he was setting up a trap for maximum damage." Hau nodded again. Rotom floated down closer to Moon, staring worriedly at the Popplio alongside her. "Shoot...I totally fell for it. Should've known something was up..." she cursed under her breath.  
  
"You can always give up now if you're having second thoughts, you know."  
  
"No way! I said I'd take you down and that's  _exactly_ what I plan to do!"  
  
"Then prove it if you can, young adventurer."  
  
"You got it! Popplio, blast it with Disarming Voice!"  
  
"Pooop!" it cried, unleashing a war cry so loud that powerful sound waves hit the Machop with great force. To Moon and Rotom's surprise, it did a great amount of damage on the Machop, bruising and scratching it significantly. Gladion's eyes went wide again, "It's...weak to Fairy types...!" Moon stared in awe for a few more seconds, before smirking and rubbing at her nose. "Heh... _gotcha_." Hala raised a brow at her, not allowing her to sulk in her pride too much.  
  
"You sure about that? Your Popplio is awfully damaged, you know. After all, Machop could land another critical, and you'll already be down one, when I still have two more under my belt."  
  
"Go ahead then, old man. If you think it'll be over so easily."  
  
"Hmph. Machop! Karate Chop!"  
  
Once again, the Popplio was bruised up severely by the Machop's blow. It cried out in pain and rolled along before stopping briefly. For a moment, it didn't move, and it seemed like it had fallen unconscious. Hau stared on worriedly, as did his older companion, "No way...she's down one already?" Hala crossed his arms, as if he was expecting something. Moon began to sweat as she stared at her pokémon partner nervously. Timidly, she called out, "Popplio...?"  
  
Slowly, it's eyes twitched, and after that, the rest of it began to do so as well. It's eyes cracked open slightly, as it began to roll onto it's belly. Moon stared in awe and Rotom began freaking out, several question marks displaying on his screen. "Impo-o-ossible! Impro-o-obable! Inconceiva-a-able! Zzt! Popplio is still kicking!" he screeched. The Popplio groaned quietly, pulling itself up and staring up at it's trainer with a strangely loving and trusting look.  
  
"Popplio...you...endured it...for me?"  
  
Gladion couldn't help but think back to his battle with Pichu, and smiled quietly to himself. Hala smirked, and laughed a jovial laugh, "As I expected! Your bond with your pokémon is so strong, it defies the very logic of battle itself!" Finally, Moon allowed herself to smirk once again as she clenched one of her hands into a fist. "Looks like you made a grave mistake there, old man! You just activated Popplio's special ability!" she declared, pointing at the Machop. "Go, hit it one more time with Aqua Jet!"  
  
"Pooooop!"  
  
Engulfing itself in a tube of water, it shot itself towards the Machop, knocking it right onto it's back upon impact. The power of it's move seemed to have doubled, as the Machop fell with a hard crash. Popplio hopped back, panting heavily and beyond exhausted from having to keep itself up with sheer will-power. Rotom floated over to the Machop and observed it, before raising up a limb towards Moon. "Machop is unable to battle! Popplio wins!" he declared, causing Popplio and Moon both to burst into a smile.  
  
"Alright, Moon! You're doing  _awesome_!" Hau cheered. Litten's tail swayed as it yowled loudly in congratulations. The sea-lion would've clapped in celebration if it wasn't already struggling to just hold itself up with it's fins. Hala nodded, calling back his Machop into it's ball. "You did well, however, the battle is  _far_ from over." Moon took on a defensive stance as he took out another pokéball.  
  
"Lend me your strength, Makuhita!" Hala called out, throwing his pokéball into the air. From the light came a pokémon that looked identical to the one the boys had run into in the wild. Gladion glanced to his younger companion, "That's how you knew it's ability." Hau blushed a bit, scratching his cheek, "W-Well...it's been a while since I've seen tutu's Makuhita. But yeah, it kinda came to me."   
  
"Popplio, catch!" Moon shouted, tossing a strange green berry into it's fins. Without a moment's hesitation, it devoured the fruit in two bites and half of it's wounds had suddenly healed. It barked, feeling a lot more strength than it was before. Hala jumped on the opportunity to attack and yelled out his Makuhita's first command, "Knock it back down with Arm Thrust!" The Makuhita charged forward, punching the Popplio twice before it jumped back.   
  
The Popplio endured the hits, and thankfully, it didn't do as much damage the Machop's threatening blows.  _So he's got another Fighting type on him...this a 50-50 shot, let's just hope my gut feeling is right_  Moon thought, pumping her fist as she prepared her next order. "Knock this clown over with Disarming Voice!" Once again, Popplio send an array of sound waves flying into it's target and the Makuhita suffered greatly, now almost matching the Popplio's beaten condition to a T.  
  
"M-Maaa..." it groaned, pulling itself up with a bit of a struggle. Hala winced, his foot sliding back a bit as he began to sweat. Moon placed her hands on her hips and gave a cocky grin, "Looks like I made the right call! Your gimmick is Fighting types, which means you've got a blaring weakness on ya!" The boys and their pokémon were completely invested now. Hau's eyes were sparkled with excitement, and Gladion was staring in pure awe at the spectacle.  _Is this...what real power looks like?_ he wondered.  
  
"I'd expect nothing less of you, Moon. You've shown impressive skill so far. However, I'm afraid it won't do you much good for much longer, unless you've got another Fairy type in your purse."  
  
"He's ri-i-ight, Moon! Popplio can't take much more damage! It can't- Zzt! -sustain itself on pure will-power fore-e-ever!"  
  
"Then we'll just have to hold out until then!" Moon snapped.  
  
Popplio nodded, barking in challenge at the Makuhita. Hala's face became serious again as he ordered his Makuhita to attack again, "Arm Thrust, again!" Once again, the Makuhita hit the Popplio with an onslaught of thrusts from it's tiny fists. This time, going all-out and slamming into the poor sea-lion 5 times. By the end of it, Popplio was completely bruised and scratched up again. It hit the floor again, and didn't move. It's eyes twitched, as it hadn't fainted just yet.  
  
However, it was clearly in too much pain to even attempt picking itself up. Hau's Litten yowled in shock as the boys both gasped. Rotom frantically waved it's limbs about in a panic, "It's badly da-a-amaged!" Moon tried to remain firm, though her facade was easily seen through the sweat on her brow. The Popplio let out another groan, moving it's head a bit but still not standing itself up. Slowly, it opened it's eyes. "P...Pooop..." it squeaked, turning to look at Rotom who was floating over it now.  
  
"She doesn't look so good...say so-o-omething!" Rotom begged. Popplio closed it's eyes tightly again, slowly moving and twitching as it's fins began to move. It was incredibly obvious that it was straining itself. "P-Popplio!" Rotom cried in surprise. Litten mewed encouragingly at it, trying to urge it to get back up. Gladion's Zorua did much the same, barking cheers and praises to try and fill it with more determination. These cries resonated with the Popplio, and it forced itself to stand back up.  
  
It was standing on wobbly fins now, and it's breathing was ragged. Moon blinked, staring in disbelief that her Popplio had so much will power. However, she didn't have time to waste standing around thinking about it. She quickly shook her head and stared down Hala's Makuhita. "Right...we gotta finish now. You're with me, right, girl?" Popplio nodded, barking in understanding. "Then let's go, one more time! Put him to sleep with Disarming Voice!"  
  
Mustering all it's strength, the sea-lion took a deep breath. Then, with the last ounce of will it had left, it let out another cry powerful enough to damage the target pokémon. Once again, the Makuhita was sent flying onto it's back, and now it was most certainly equal to the Popplio in damage if not just a bit more-so. It was silent for a moment. Everyone was staring expectantly, anxiously. Rotom prepared to float towards the fallen pokémon, ready to make the call.  
  
However, it suddenly rose slowly to it's feet. It showed a similar amount of struggle to the Popplio in this task, but not quite as much. Somehow, it had survived the blow by a thin hair. Or in it's case, a thin thread. Moon's face contorted into a horrified expression.  _It...survived?! HOW?!_ she panicked. Before she could even begin to think of some plan of action to follow this, Hala repeated his command one last time. "Makuhita, Arm Thrust!"  
  
This time, the Popplio couldn't even hope to soften the blow. No amount of will power, no amount of wishing would help it now. It was knocked back, straight into the arms of it's trainer as it drifted into unwilling unconsciousness. Moon cried out in shock as her pokémon landed safely in her arms, it's eyes swirled. Rotom raised up a limb in Hala's direction this time, "Popplio is unable to ba-a-attle! Makuhita wins!" The children all stared in silence for a brief moment, Litten and Zorua staring on sorrowfully, before Moon mustered a weak smile.  
  
Calling the groaning Popplio back into it's ball, she whispered softly, "You did a good job out there, sweetie. Rest up. You've made me real proud." She took a deep breath, and once again her expression became deadly serious. Slowly, she retrieved another pokéball from her purse. "I may be down one, but I'm not out yet," she declared, before looking down at her pokéball. "You've got this, Meowth...don't let me down," she whispered. Tossing it into the air, she called it's name for everyone to hear.  
  
"Meowth! Help me avenge Popplio and win this trial!" she cried. The light that emanated from the pokéball formed into a rather fanciful looking cat pokémon. Litten's tail swayed in curiosity at the new fellow feline pokémon. It flipped it's whiskers much like a girl would flip her hair, and with the same dramatic and stylish flare about it as well. "Meowth~" it mused, smirking pridefully at the sack pokémon before it. "It sure looks elegant..." Gladion muttered, half unaware it was aloud and not in his head.  
  
"I don't think I've ever seen that one before. But yeah, you're right. It looks a bit stuck-up, too," he chuckled. His Litten swatted the side of his head, huffing in offense. This only prompted the boy to chuckle more through his apologies. "Afraid your Dark type isn't going to do you much good," Hala declared, grabbing the boys' attention once more. Moon raised a brow at him, "Hmph. I wouldn't so sure. Your Makuhita is pretty worn down, after all. All it'll take to knock him down it one blow."  
  
"Go ahead then, if you think that's the right call," he challenged, almost calmly. Moon didn't bat an eye as she nodded, "If you think you can take me down first, give it all you got, old man!" Hala raised his hand up, and Makuhita raised it's fists, ready for combat. "Arm Thrust, again!" Moon smirked, posing a cute pose as she snarked at him, "Wrong move old man. Meowth, hit him with a Fake Out!" Just as the sack pokémon was winding up it's first punch, Meowth lunged forward, and flicked it right on it's forehead.  
  
The blow was so winding, the poor chubby pokémon tumbled onto it's back with a crash. The Meowth leaped back, still smirking triumphantly. Rotom raised a limb back into Moon's direction as it caught the Makuhita's swirled eyes. "Makuhita is unable to battle! Meowth wins! Zzt!" he declared. Moon put her hands on her hips, smirking confidently. "Gotcha, old man!" she boasted. The older boy was smiling at first, but then he noticed Hau's worried look. He raised a worried brow at him.  
  
"Hau? Is everything ok?"  
  
"She fell for his trap again..."  
  
"What do you mean? What's wrong?"  
  
"It's...his last pokémon."  
  
"That's a good thing isn't it?"  
  
Hau shook his head, "His last one...it's the most powerful one he has. It's his _ace_."  
  
Gladion's eyes widened as he suddenly remembered something Hau had told him before. Hau nodded, biting his lower lip. Repositioning his Zorua carefully, the blonde gently began taking Hau's hand. They both blushed, and their fingers wrapped together particularly slowly. Once they were locked together, Hau's grip became firm. He looked up at Gladion curiously. The older boy looked away shyly, "E aho." Hau's blush just got worse, but he smiled again before he whispered back, "Mahalo..."  
  
Hala had already called back his Makuhita, and was now holding his final pokéball. He smirked, and Moon's own cocky grin faltered a bit as she began to sweat.  _Uh oh...that isn't good_ she thought. One last time, he tossed the ball into the air, and the bulky pokémon manifested from the light that escaped. It resembled Crabrawler, but very vaguely. However, it had to be double it size, if not triple. Most of it's once hard shell-like skin was instead replaced with a plethora of white fur.  
  
There was a single patch of it's face where the fur was absent, one of few traces of it's blue skin still left. On top of its head was a patch of yellow fur with cowlick-like tufts extending upwards. It had beady, black eyes and a large mouth where two blunt teeth were visible. Below its mouth was a purple breast-plate like patch of shell, and it's abdomen also had this feature with lighter blue stripes. It's large arms extended in awkward positions, and looked incredibly bent.   
  
On the ends of each arm were what looked to be palms where it's hard shell-like fists used to be. Each of which had purple markings that much resembled paw-prints. It's 4, short legs now had light blue, pointed tips. Truly, it was a step-up from it's more spry and small looking pre-evolution. And menacing at that. Moon took a step back in shock. "R-Rotom! What is that thing?!" she squawked. Rotom immediately began eagerly taking pictures, having never seen the specimen before now.  
  
"Updating...updating...updating...Zzt! Crabominable, the Woolly Crab Pokémon! It just throws punches indiscriminately. In times of desperation, it can lop off its own pincers and fire them like rockets!"  
  
"W-Woah...seriously?"  
  
"This is ama-a-azing! It's truly an honor to meet such a powerful pokémon up close!"  
  
"This must also be a Fighting type..."  
  
Hala crossed his arms and nodded, chuckling lowly, "That's right, young Moon! And you fell right into my trap! Your pokémon is incredibly weak to my Crabominable. And since you can no longer use Fake Out, you can only hope to dodge it's punches. But I'll be honest, that's gonna be difficult." Hau gulped, his already tight grip getting more constricting. Any tighter, and Gladion's hand might've begun hurting. Though, even if it did, the older boy certainly wasn't about to complain.  
  
"Damn, I'm getting too cocky. Alright then, if that's how it is...I'll just have to work with what I've got!" she declared, pointing at the Crabominable to direct her Meowth. "Overwhelm him with Fury Swipes!" The Meowth's claws extended as it smirked maliciously. Darting forward, it struck at the tall pokémon's exterior with 3 calculated blows. However, when it jumped back, it was surprised to see it had barely left a dent. Rotom beeped with excitement again at the opportunity to collect data.  
  
"Wow! It's shell is incredibly strong!" he remarked. Gladion frowned a bit, "It must be really powerful..." Hau nodded, swallowing hard again. "Y-Yeah..." he muttered. Once again, the blonde turned to look at him, "Hey...it's ok to be scared, Hau. Don't worry." Hau nodded, his nerves calming down a bit. The Meowth was sweating just as it's master was now. It took a step back as Hala shouted out it's first attack. "Knock it out with Ice Punch!"  
  
The Crabominable jumped forward, rearing up one of it's arms that began to freeze over with ice. Before the Meowth could react, the large crab socked it in the face and knocked it back a few feet. It yowled in pain and dug it's claws into the stage to keep from falling off the edge. Litten hissed, yowling to cheer the Meowth on. The Meowth was incredibly damaged from the blow, and it took it a moment to shake itself out of it's daze. Once it did, it leapt forward onto all-fours and hissed angrily.  
  
Moon sweat a bit more now. It seemed like the coin on it's head suffered no damage, but half it's whiskers were now bent out of place. She wasn't sure if she would be able to keep it under wraps. But even if it was out of control, she had no other choice. "Keep it under control, Meowth. Your power boost won't mean anything if you aren't thinking straight. Use Growl!" Rotom and Moon waited in anticipation as it's fur continued to stand on end and it glared at it's opponent.   
  
Finally, after a full minute, the Meowth hissed and growled in intimidation, making it's opponent sweat a bit. It grew much less weary, moreso lowering it's defenses unwillingly. Hala scoffed, "Afraid that won't save you. Crabominable, Dizzy Punch!" Once again, the Crabominable winded up it's arm and this time hit Meowth right on the head. The feline yelped in pain, and grabbed at it's head as it began stumbling about, it's eyes rolling around in their sockets.  
  
Moon groaned, "Not  _again_!" Rotom became weary as he kept his distance from the hot action, "Looks like Meowth is going to have trouble locating it's target now! Zzt!" Moon began to sweat even more. She shook her head. She couldn't freeze up, not now. Her pokémon needed her to pay attention. Someone had to. "Meowth, use Scratch!" she commanded. For a moment, the pokémon kept on stumbling and it seemed to not register her command.  
  
But as it continuously shook it's head, it began knocking at it's own skull. It shook it's had more rampantly now, and suddenly, it's eyes stopped rolling about. Hala's eyes nearly burst open in shock. The Meowth growled lowly, rearing up and extending it's claws just before pouncing on it's prey. Once again landing a scratch on it, it seemed to barely make any leeway. However, this did not deter the pair. Meowth leapt backwards and hissed aggressively.  
  
For a moment, Hala was still and both Moon and her Meowth stared down their opponents. Then, suddenly, Hala let out a soft chuckle. "You've done well so far, Moon. Truly. It's not everyday I see a trainer's bond with it's pokémon turn the tide so well in their favor. However, I do believe your luck has just about run out," he stated, pulling up one of his sleeves to reveal a particularly unique-looking Z-Ring around his wrist. Hau shuffled nervously, not daring to let go of Gladion's hand as his eyes widened.  
  
"Oh no..."  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
He didn't get to answer, before Hala tapped against the Z-Crystal embedded in his ring. Suddenly, his pokémon began to glow with a strange aura, as it raised it's fists aggressively. Rotom began filming, eager to witness the most spectacular phenomenon he'd been eager to see for a while now. Gladion stared in complete awe, having never seen a sight quite like it before. Moon was also caught frozen at the sight. However, Meowth turned back to it's master and yowled at her to snap her out of it.  
  
She shook her head, looking at her mewing pokémon in confusion. "I don't understand, what is it? Do you have a plan?" she asked. Rotom gently floated down beside her, "It's saying to use your Z-Crystal! The one- Zzt! -Ilima gave you! You still ha-a-ave it, right?" Moon's eyes widened, and she quickly retrieved the crystal from her purse again. Securing it onto her own ring, she tapped it, bring her hands up in preparation for her attack. Meowth now too, was engulfed in the strange aura as it smirked.  
  
Moon and Hala began moving their arms about in synchronized dances, their pokémon mimicking as best they could. While each dance was different, both were an amazing spectacle to behold. As Moon finished her dance, she brought her arms up to form a "Z", as Hala threw his forward in a punching motion. Both pokémon were completely blazing with aura now, and their eyes lit up. Meowth's smirk stretched deviously across it's face, and finally, both trainers shouted out their final attacks.  
  
**"ALL-OUT PUMMELING!!!"**  
  
**"BREAKNECK BLITZ!!!"**  
  
The Meowth charged forward at breakneck speeds, completely engulfed in the aura now, and almost protected by it completely. The Crabominable also dashed forward, throwing punches at speeds impossible to follow. As the two impacts met, they were trapped against each other for a long and tense moment. Each pokémon were groaning in sudden adrenaline. Then, suddenly, Meowth's attack barreled through the ceaseless onslaught of punches and knocked the Crabominable back with tremendous force.  
  
Everyone was caught wide-eyed and shocked as the blow knocked the pokémon down. The aura faded, and Meowth landed perfectly on it's fours. It stood up, flicking it's unbent whiskers mockingly. Everyone could only stare on, blinking every so often in place of breathing. Finally, after what must've been 5 minutes, Rotom slowly floated towards the fallen pokémon to observe it's condition. A grinning face appeared on Rotom's screen, as he raised up a limb and pointed it in Moon's direction.  
  
"CRA-A-ABOMINABLE IS UNABLE TO BATTLE! HALA IS OUT OF ELIGIBLE POKÈMON, MA-A-AKING MOON AND MEOWTH THE VICTORS!"  
  
Moon grinned and let out a loud breath of relief. Meowth nodded in satisfaction, just before being practically suffocated in a tight hug from it's master. "WE DID IT! WE WON! I PASSED MY GRAND TRIAL!!!" she cheered, spinning her pokémon around gleefully. It mewed back at her with joy, frankly glad she was no longer choking it with her hugging. Hala quietly called back his last pokémon, and slowly approached Moon. "That you did, young Moon. Which means this is now yours..."  
  
She looked up, and was surprised to see him holding out a Z-Crystal similar to the one that was on his Z-Ring. "A...Z-Crystal?" she guessed, gently taking it and observing it carefully. He nodded, "Yup. Fightinium Z, to be precise. You earned it." She smiled as she closed her hand around it. Her Meowth jumped down out her arm as she stared up at Hala with sparkling eyes. "Th-thank you, Kahuna Hala! It was an honor to battle you, truly!" she praised.  
  
"Here, hand me your ID Card. I'll stamp it for you," he offered, holding his hand out again. Moon fished into her purse, trading out the shiny new crystal for her ID Card and handing it over to him. "Wait out here, I'll be right back. Oh and, congratulations. Once you've got my notarized seal, you'll be able to head out to Akala Island for your next trial," he explained, shuffling back into his house. Moon nodded, hopping down the steps of the stage to meet with the boys again.   
  
"That...was... _ **AMAZING**_ , Moon! You were so cool up there!"  
  
"Yeah, I know I'm awesome~"  
  
Gladion chimed in next, "What was all that at the end? I've never seen anything like it before."  
  
Hau smiled, "Oh, that's that thing I told you about before! In battle, if you have the right Z-Crystal on you, you can use these special pokémon moves called Z-Moves!"  
  
"They look really powerful...do you have to do those maneuvers every time?"  
  
Hau chuckled, "Pretty much, yeah." Moon flipped her hair back, digging through her back for medicines to treat her Meowth as the boys continued talking. She noticed they were still holding hands rather intimately, but she didn't call attention to it this time.  She just smiled and minded her own business, tuning out Rotom's inane rambling. Gladion turned to look at Hau again, "Are you still nervous?" Hau smiled sadly, "Y-Yeah...I can't say that I'm not. But you helped me feel a lot better."  
  
"I'm...glad," the older boy said, offering a shy smile. They didn't have too much time to reconcile before Hala came back outside, holding out Moon's ID Card to her. She gently took it, having long been done with tending to her Meowth's conditions. Hala looked over at his grandson, and no words were exchanged for a very long moment. Even Moon had to admit, she could cut the tension in the air with a knife. Slowly, Hau let go of Gladion's hand and took a step forward.  
  
"Are you ready, Hau?"  
  
"...I'm ready, tutu. Don't hold back."  
  
"...Very well."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOOOOOOOLY HELL THIS TOOK _**FOREVER**_ TO WRITE.
> 
> Oh lord jesus there's still another part. Pray for me, guys >w<  
> Btw, the phrase "E aho" means "It's going to be ok". Just a basic phrase of reassurance.


	24. Chapter 23 - More Than A Grand Trial Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guzma pulls Lillie aside and gives her some sage advice, as Hau begins his Grand Trial against his grandfather.

All the grunts had long since darted off. The sun was shining brightly in the sky and they were finally free to play. The only ones that were still behind were the Pokémon Center grunts, the big boss himself, and a certain goth. The Eevee had already begun recovering, but it was unfortunately forced to remain indoors atop it's new bed. The Herdier, Fomantis, and Clefairy had remained beside it since it woke, conversing with it. Lillie, had climbed up onto her roof and was trying to combat her boredom with a game of Ekans on her flip-phone.  
  
As the game beeped with what must've been her 10th loss, she groaned and fell onto her back, spreading her arms out across the shingles. She stared up with squinted eyes at the sky. There were only a few clouds swirling by the sun. Suddenly, her view was covered by a familiar face that peered down at her with an amused smirk. Her eyes widened a bit in surprise as he spoke. "You day-dreamin' up here, princess?" he asked, snickering a bit as she suddenly sat up and turned to look at him. She blushed in embarrassment.  
  
"O-Oh! No, I-"  
  
"Relax, sweetheart. Just pullin' yer leg."  
  
"Oh. O-Ok."  
  
"So, watcha doin'?"  
  
Lillie flipped her phone shut, "Oh, I was just playing some Ekans. There's nobody around to battle or anything and my pokémon are too busy watching Eevee to train."  
  
"...So, you're hella bored."  
  
"Maybe just a bit."  
  
Her brows raised up again as he held out a hand to her. "C'mon, I got somethin' I wanna show ya," he said. Slowly, she took his hand. He carefully pulled her up to her feet, guiding her back down to the ground safely. Lillie followed anxiously as he began leading her to the mansion parked in the back of the town. Perhaps they were going back to his throne room? It seemed that way as they went inside and traversed up the stairs. Once they reached the balcony, instead of heading to the left where his room laid in wait, he turned right.  
  
She raised a curious brow, but kept on following. Helping her to climb over the rubble, he drew her attention to a ladder she hadn't noticed before. As he stepped back to allow her to go first, she carefully climbed up until she reached the top. It was a certainly much steeper roof than the ones down below. She moved aside to allow him room as he climbed up after her. Once they were both at the top, he took her hand again and carefully lead her up the steep slope of shingles. The wall was completely pressed against the back side of the roof.  
  
Again, she noticed another precariously ladder, this time it scaled up the wall. Without even waiting for Guzma's cue this time, she climbed up it. It took her a minute or 2 to reach the top, but eventually, she did. She was cautious about perching herself ontop, sitting on her feet and too nervous to stand up. She stared down at Guzma as he climbed up after her. She gulped. She didn't wanna look anywhere else. When Guzma too reached the top, he sat beside her, dangling his legs over the side. Hesitantly, she mimicked the position.  
  
"W...Wow. this sure is high up, Mis- B...Boss."  
  
"That's the idea."  
  
"You can see all of Po Town from up here."  
  
"You sure can."  
  
Lillie turned to look at Guzma after taking in the amazing sight. Something still perplexed her about all this. "Um...how come you wanted to bring me up here, Boss?" she asked, prompting him to smirk again. "Well, I was bored too. And since Plum ain't around right now...guess I gotta settle with sharing this with my favorite kid." Lillie blushed a bit, turning completely flustered. However, it was swiftly overshadowed by her insecurity. Her thoughts had still been swirling all this time about Moon. About her loss. Her  _failure_.  
  
"...I'm nothing special. How come  _I'm_  your favorite?" The doubt in her voice made Guzma frown. He turned to look at her, "Now who the hell told you that you ain't nuthin' special?" Lillie shook her head. He still didn't understand. "Nobody. But...I failed on my very first field mission. I got beaten by some newbie trainer! You must think I'm such an embarrassment!" she squeaked, covering her eyes with her hands. She didn't want to cry, it was a weak thing to do. She wanted to be stronger than that.  
  
"...Hey, kid, we all fuck up sometimes."  
  
"But you never...um...screw up. You're really strong."  
  
"Yeah, but I wasn't always that way, kiddo."  
  
Lillie turned to look up at him, her brows raised as she sniffled. "R-Really?" she asked. Guzma nodded, shrugging one of his arms and pouting to himself, "Well, we all start out as weak, snivelin' little wimps. Some of us are just better at spoutin' bullshit than others." Lillie's face lit up a bit, full of intrigue. At this point, she had truly come to admire him and Plumeria. They were incredibly skilled and smart people. And they had finally offered her something she had been without since her earliest childhood.  _Guidance_.  
  
"Y-You said your Golisopod used to be that way too, right?" she asked, still sniffling a bit. Guzma nodded, "Yup. He was a pathetic little creature alright. Before you get a Golisopod, you have these tiny bug pokémon called Wimpod. One 'a the most vulnerable friggin' creatures you'd ever see." He had her full attention, as the blonde girl leaned in a bit to listen to him better. He smirked, amused by her adorable child-like interest. Without hesitating, he continued, "But before I get into that, first I should tell ya a little somethin' important about myself first."  
  
"What is it, Boss?"  
  
"Now, hold onto your tiara for this one...when I was a little youngling, about your age, I used to be a trial-goer."  
  
Lillie's jaw dropped.  _Guzma_  was a  _trial-goer_? The very man who spit on the trials and Kahunas as a whole used to be a trial-goer? Then again, she supposed his hatred of them had to come from  _somewhere_. She herself wasn't too sure about them. True, she had no real opinion in general. But she knew that Guzma wasn't very privy to them. So it was hard to picture him as an ambitious young trainer like that. "I won all sorts of trophies too, I was pretty much the hottest shit in my home town back in the day."  
  
"That's so cool! But...I thought you  _hated_  trials?" she interrupted. Guzma frowned again and looked down with a look of melancholy. "Yeah...I  _do_. There's a reason for that. Y'see, I used to be a protege to Hala, along with some other kid I knew. Real smart ass. We were trainin' to become Captains. He and I didn't see eye-to-eye on a whole lot, but even as rival we had a common dream." Lillie frowned in pity. Placing her hands back in her lap, she kept her gaze trained on her boss.  _He wanted to be a Captain, too?_ she wondered.  
  
"Or at least...that's what I  _thought_. When I took my final test to be anointed, the deity didn't pick me. It picked my rival. And that asshole turned it down," he growled, glaring down at Po Town now. Lillie scowled and pouted, "That's so selfish!" He appreciated her fury, but he continued without acknowledging it. "He and I got into a real big fight, and it ended in Hala refusin' to mentor me any longer." Lillie just kept on scowling. She was starting to understand now why Guzma was so upset with the Island Trials, with the Kahunas. They were unfair.  
  
"I got pissed. So I stole one of his Z-Rings I know he kept in his house and took off. I felt like shit. I had my folks, but Hala seriously felt like a family to me for a long time. I ran away from home, and I left behind all my old pokémon. I didn't wanna be reminded of my past in any way. I felt like such a fuckin' failure."  
  
"That's so horrible...what did you do?"  
  
"I started makin' trouble, what else? I was homeless, so I usually had to steal all my food. And most of the time I slept in cardboard boxes or cold ass caves. Then, one day, I just happened to meet a certain pokémon that was just as stubborn as I was."  
  
"Your Golisopod?"  
  
"Yup, but at the time it was a tiny little thing. Real sad and weak lookin'. At first, I tried to do everythin' I could to get rid of the damn thing. Hell, I would toss it for miles. I think once I tossed it so far it would reach all the way to the front gate from here," he boasted, pointing to the gate sat yards across from their position. Lillie giggled, "Oh dear! That sounds like a hassle!" Guzma nodded and let out a deep breath, "Yeah, it sure was. The little shit just wouldn't give up no matter what I did. I never attacked it or anythin', but I waden't nice to it either."  
  
"So what did you do?"  
  
"I gave up tryin'. It followed me around everywhere. Granted, I was still bitchin' at it all the time."  
  
"So how did you become so close with it?"  
  
"Well, when you live out in the woods for Arceus knows how long, eventually you run into some wild pokémon once or twice. And since I left my old pokémon at home like a dipshit, I had no way to defend myself."  
  
"Sounds scary..."  
  
"It sure as hell was. Until, that is, this little thing actually grew a pair and defended me."  
  
Lillie's eyes sparkled, and she leaned in again, hyped up in anticipation. Guzma smirked, "Of course, he got his skinny little ass beat up real good. But miraculously, he came out victorious." Lillie smiled in excitement, "Wow, Boss! That's so cool!" Guzma nodded again, pointing up an index finger for emphasis as he continued. "Yup. I knew from that moment that he and I were destined partners. So I've had 'im with me ever since." Lillie smiled briefly, before frowning again and looking down solemnly.  
  
"W-Wow, Guzma...I guess you're right. If you could get this far from rock bottom, I guess I'm  _not_ such a screw-up after all!" Guzma smiled, patting her head. "There's my girl," he praised. She smiled again, blushing in embarrassment. Her eyes perked up, as he took his hand off and stood up. She stared up at him curiously, until he held his hand out to her again. "Hey, wanna see somethin' even cooler than  _this_ view?" She hesitated for a moment, still anxious from the height they were perched on. However, she swallowed her fear and took ahold of his hand.  
  
Squeaking cutely as she was pulled up onto her feet, she turned her head to look at the other side of the wall. Her eyes sparkled in wonder and adoration at the sight that greeted her. It was a perfect view of the ocean. Slowly, a grin stretched across her face. "Wow, Guzma! This is so beautiful!" she shouted, still keeping a firm grip on his hand. He smirked again, "Figured you'd like it. You know, you can come up here whenever you're feelin' a little down in the dumps. I know it makes  _me_ feel better about myself, lookin' down on everybody."  
  
He chuckled, and she nodded at him, before looking out at the ocean again. In the sun's bright light, it sparkled most fetchingly. It was truly a sight to behold, nothing comparable to it's counterpart on the other side of the wall. A couple fish pokémon flopped about the water's surface, as a few stray Wingulls glided by, searching for food. A slight breeze kicked up, making Lillie smile a bit brighter than she was before. For once in her life, she felt like she could do anything. That anything was possible.

 

* * *

 

The sun was setting and the sky lit up with a blazing orange. Dusk had settled, and soon it would be dark again. A certain prim and proper feline pokémon was perched on it's trainer's shoulders. In it's hands, it held a certain baby pokémon, who was unsatisfied with it's view. Moon had her hands on her hips, watching the two familiar figures on the stage. Beside her was a certain older, blonde boy, who was mostly focused on the younger of the two trainers on the stage.  
  
Moon didn't think it was possible to be more tense than she was battling Hala herself. But she was unfortunately wrong. Meowth's tail swayed back in forth in anticipation. Litten too, suffered this side effect of it's anticipation. It was quiet for a long moment, before someone finally broke the tense silence. "Tutu, can I ask you a favor?" Hau said, his face still serious. The question puzzled everyone, as Moon and Gladion exchanged looks of silent curiosity.   
  
"What is it, Hau?"  
  
"I know... _technically_ , this is my Grand Trial. But I don't want you to give me the same routine everyone else gets. I wanna fight you at your absolute best."  
  
Moon sweat a bit as her expression turned sheepish. Gladion smiled nervously, patting her on the shoulder reassuringly. Meowth merely pouted and turned it's nose up snootily. Hala raised a brow at this, "You sure you wanna do that, boy?" Hau nodded, and his Litten mewed in agreement as it slashed it's tail aggressively. "I will admit...I've been anxious about this. But I'm ready now. Don't hold back for me on this one, tutu. I can handle it."  
  
Rotom began floating above the stage again, ready to document what would surely be another exciting battle. Holding up both his limbs, he looked between the two trainers. "Ready for battle?" he asked. They both nodded, as Hala took out one of his pokéballs and Litten got into a defensive stance. "Trainers ready! Grand Trial...begin!" he declared, floating upwards to a safer distance from the fray. "Makuhita, you're back up!" Hala shouted, tossing his pokéball back into the air.  
  
Gladion frowned, shuffling nervously. He remembered all-too-well how difficult it was going to be for Litten to take this pokémon on. After all, it's ability allowed for it to resist it's Fire attacks. "Let's start this off with Scratch!" Hau commanded. Litten's claws began extending, but before it could pounce, Hala made his first command as well. "Stop it with Fake Out!" The Makuhita bounded forward with strange speed, and flicked the Litten back harshly.  
  
The feline yowled, stumbling back in pain as tears pricked at it's eyes. It's claws shrunk as it rubbed at the new bruise on it's face. It hissed angrily, it's hot fur standing on end. Moon's eyebrows perked up at this. "Huh, so Makuhita has Fake Out, too," she muttered. Hau pouted, but he knew he should've expected it. He wasted no time repeating his orders, "Litten! Again! Use Scratch!" Once again, the Litten's claws extended and it landed a single blow across the creature's belly.  
  
Landing gracefully on all fours, it hissed aggressively. The Makuhita walked it off, but the scratch marks still remained. "Distract it with Sand Attack!" Hala ordered. Taking in a deep breath briefly, Makuhita blew a might breath as sand and dirt was picked up in it's wind and blown right into Litten's face. Litten shook it's head, it's eyes stinging with the small particles. Gladion's head hung a bit in worry as he brought a hand up to his chest. "That's...not good..." he muttered.  
  
Moon caught this, raising a curious brow at him, "Why's that? Because it's accuracy is lowering?" Gladion shook his head, turning to look at her with nervous eyes. "No...it's much worse than that," he stated, turning his attention back to the stage. The Litten began to growl and hiss with an aura of rage. Hau couldn't help but sweat as he took a single step back. "Oh crap...not again...!" he squeaked. Rotom observed closely, recognizing the agitated aura the feline emanated.  
  
"It's getting a-a-agitated? Zzt!" he mused. Hau shook his head. He had to focus, maybe he could control it. Surely by now his Litten had learned some restraint, right? "Litten! Use Lick!" The children's eyes all grew wide with shock as the Litten's fur blazed up, standing on end as it made an unpleasant sound that was somewhere between a yowl and a hack. Disregarding it's master's order completely, the Litten spit out a ball of fire at the Makuhita, who took it with barely any damage.  
  
It hissed and yowled, still angry and unsatisfied with the opposing pokémon's pain. Hala crossed his arms, raising a brow at Hau expectantly. "Your Litten seems to be poorly trained, boy," he said. Hau scowled a bit to hide his embarrassment, and returned his attention to his pokémon, "Litten, you gotta snap out of it!" Hala just shook his head, and pointed at the hissing feline. "Sand Attack, again!" Another gust of wind doused the kitten in even more dirt and rubble.  
  
Even without the sand burning in it's eyes, all it would really be able to see was pure red. It hissed and growled even more violently now, the aura of hate and rage so powerful now that even Meowth could feel it. And it made it shiver uncomfortable, as did the Zorua. Moon sneered nervously, whispering to Gladion while still keeping her eyes on the fight. "Oh,  _that's_ what you meant..." she muttered again, unable to help but feel nervous  _for_ Hau.  
  
She knew all-too-well how hard it was to keep a prideful pokémon such as that under wraps. Perhaps he had never had a moment to discipline it on that front. That, or it was just much harder to train than her Meowth. Before Hau could even try to give his pokémon another order, Litten dashed forward again and attempted to Scratch Makuhita again. However, it missed by a couple inches and stumbled across the wood flooring of the stage.  
  
This only served to make it angrier, as it jumped to it's feet and started growling and hissing even more, if that were possible. Hala wasted no time jumping on the opportunity to attack. "Makuhita, overwhelm it with Arm Thrust!" The Litten was helpless to even attempt to dodge as the Makuhita hit it repeatedly. After 4 hits, it rolled backwards and Litten was left significantly damaged. It seemed to only become more and more upset, and therefore, more deaf to it's trainer.  
  
Meowth and Zorua tried their best as well to get through to it, but it was all in vain. "Litten, please! You gotta snap out of this! You're gonna get yourself hurt!" Hau begged, desperately. But it was beyond hearing him at this point. Once again, it arched it's back and spit a fireball into the sack pokémon who was barely scathed by the attempt to knock it down. Even with the power boost from it's rage, Makuhita's ability did much to protect it.   
  
"Looks like it's game over for your Litten, boy. Makuhita, finish it off with Arm Thrust again!" Hala commanded. Once again, the Litten was powerless to avoid the onslaught of punches the pokémon threw at it. It was knocked back to Hau's feet, rolling over onto it's side and covered completely in bruises. It's aura had all but dissipated, though it didn't ease the children's nerves in the least bit. If anything, it only made them even  _more_ anxious.   
  
"LITTEN!" Hau cried out as Rotom floated closer to the scene to investigate. Litten's eyes were swirled, and it was completely and utterly motionless save for the falling and rising of it's chest. Rotom raised up a limb in Hala's direction, "Litten is unable to battle! Makuhita wins! Zzt!" Meowth and Zorua both stared sorrowfully at the unconscious feline. It took Hau a moment before he hesitantly called back his fallen partner. He bit his lower lip, but only Gladion had noticed.  
  
It truly hurt him to see Hau struggling like this so quickly. Still, he resisted the urge to shout at him. Despite wanting to encourage him, his resolve was clear. He wanted to be able to do this on his own. Hau took a deep breath, before tossing his Dusk Ball into the air, "You're up next!" Out of the bright light that escaped the ball, a purple bat pokémon came gliding and screeching in excitement. Rotom immediately began documenting the creature, adding it's information to his database.  
  
"Updating...updating...updating...Zzt! Noibat, the Sound Wa-a-ave Pokémon! This pokémon usually hails from the region of Kalos! They li-i-ive in pitch-black caves, and their enormous ears can emit ultrasonic waves of 200,000- Zzt! -hertz!" he chimed, beeping as he processed the new data. Hau's eyes lit up a bit as he looked up at the pokémon, "So that's what it's called huh? And it can do that with it's ears...?" Moon's eyes also lit up in awe and slight envy.  
  
"Woah, it looks so cool!" she gasped. Hau smirked, holding out his hand in the Makuhita's direction, "Alright then, rattle it's brain with Supersonic!" Hau's Noibat let out a loud and odd screech that made the Makuhita's head spin. It began to see stars as it swayed slightly in a daze. Hala winced at this, but he didn't let it deter him. "Use Arm Thrust!" His order went unfollowed, as the Makuhita swayed slightly before accidentally smacking  _itself_ in the face with it's own attack.   
  
The blow caused it to knock itself back onto it's butt. Gladion burst into a grin as he breathed with relief. Meowth and Zorua both cheered on the Noibat excitedly. Hau jumped on the opportunity to attack again, seeming much more pumped up than he was before. "Hit it with Tackle, Noibat!" The bat pokémon screeched a war cry as it dove down and knocked into the sack pokémon with full force. It rolled backwards a bit before stopping briefly and managing to stand itself back up.  
  
Hala sneered, knowing it was still too confused to register what was around it. Still, he had no immediate cure for the problem at hand, and had to work with what he had. "Let's try this again, Makuhita, Arm Thrust!" The Makuhita shook it's head, and suddenly, it stopped swaying. Hau gulped, and Noibat flinched back as it sweat a bit and let out a low screech of concern. Moon, Gladion, and their partner pokémon had much the same reaction. "That's not good...!" Moon squeaked.  
  
The sack pokémon charged forward, laying into the bat pokémon with 3 hits to it's gut before landing on the ground with a hard thud. The Noibat was certainly damaged, but it seemed the bruises weren't too severe. Somehow, it had resisted the hits incredibly well. "Noibat, are you alright?" Hau asked. The Noibat nodded, flying about it's master to display the lack of damage it had suffered. "You're...resistant to that attack? So that means..." he turned to look at the Makuhita.  
  
"It's also weak to Flying types!" he finished. Hala nodded, crossing his arms again, "Good job, boy. I didn't think you'd figure it out so quickly." Hau smirked, pumping his fists as his eyes sparkled with adoration. The older boy had never seen him like this in a battle before. Truly, sincerely loving every second of it. He smiled.  _I wonder if I can learn how to battle that way someday..._ he thought. Hau pointed at the Makuhita again, "Lower it's defenses with Screech!"  
  
Everyone, including Hala, had to cover their ears as Noibat let out a familiar, ear-piercing screech. The sound was only amplified by it's large ears, and even Rotom was a bit rattled by the noise. "Sound waves are reaching 80 hertz!" he cried, as the rising numbers that measured the sound displayed on his screen. The sound gave Makuhita yet another splitting headache, though this time, it wasn't left dazed. "Weakening my defenses will do you no good if you can't land any hits, boy! Makuhita, blind it with Sand Attack!"  
  
A third gust of dirty and sandy wind was blown in Hau's direction, as the Noibat's eyes were compromised. It screeched in distress, flapping about wildly and sloppily now. Hau shielded his own eyes with his arms, and was discouraged to see his Noibat was unable to protect itself the same. "Shoot...! Noibat, use Absorb!" Hau commanded. However, the Noibat was unable to focus on where to draw energy from, and ended up squirming in the air desperately.  
  
"Arm Thrust, again!" Makuhita darted forward again, laying into the Noibat with two punches before bounding back once more onto it's feet. Once again, the Noibat managed to resist the damage just fine. But it was still having trouble spotting the opposing pokémon. Hau repeated himself again, desperate to heal the wounds faster than the sack pokémon could make them. "Noibat, Absorb!" Somehow, this time the Noibat managed to focus through the dirt in it's eyes and find the Makuhita.  
  
Glowing with a green aura, the Makuhita had it's life forced drained out of it, as the purple bat pokémon took it in. Half it's bruises healed, and it began moving with a bit more speed than before. Having it's defenses lowered already, the attack took much more out of Makuhita than it normally would have. "M-Maaa..." it groaned, struggling to stand up now. Hala stamped down one of his feet again, repositioning himself boldly. "Sand Attack, again!"  
  
Another gust of wind, and it left the Noibat even more disoriented than it was before. It began screeching even louder, searching frantically for something, anything it could keep it's eyes on through all the dirt. Hau winced. He knew his grandfather was right, if this kept up, there's no way he could beat the Makuhita. Hesitantly, he called back his Noibat, "Take a break for now, Noibat." Fishing out another pokéball from his backpack, he tossed it up as he called out his partner, "Pichu, tag in!"  
  
It's cheeks sparked in anticipation as soon as it appeared, smirking confidently. "An Electric type...interesting choice, boy," Hala mused. "Makuhita, Arm Thrust!" The Pichu endured 2 hits back to back to it's gut, but on the second one, it's cheeks sparked as it smirked deviously. Makuhita began to sweat, as it suddenly took a couple steps back. It began straining, and suddenly, all of it's muscles locked up and it was unable to move. Hau smirked again, "You fell right into my trap, tutu!"  
  
"It's Static!" Rotom chirped, documenting the phenomenon with his camera. Moon smiled, "Nice! That sure is a handy Ability to have. It pretty much makes you near untouchable,  _literally_!" Hau snapped his fingers, "Checkmate, tutu. Pichu, finish him off with Thunder Shock!" The Pichu raised it's stubby arms up as it's cheeks sparked again. Crying out excitedly, it brought a bolt of lightning crashing down on the poor, paralyzed pokémon and sent it flying onto the wood floor.  
  
Rotom hovered over the sack pokémon again, and raised a limb up in Hau's direction. "Makuhita is unable to battle! Pi-i-ichu wins!" Gladion let out a sigh of relief as Meowth and Zorua cheered enthusiastically and Moon nodded in approval. Hau beamed, and exchanged a look of understanding with his Pichu. Once again, Hala was forced to call back Makuhita, as he swapped out it's ball for another. "Machop, you're up next!" he declared, tossing his ball into the air. The small humanoid pokémon assumed an offense pose upon being summoned.  
  
Hau's face became a bit serious again, knowing just how problematic this pokémon could be. Then he smiled again, knowing Pichu had the perfect move to counter-act the obvious problem. "Pichu, use Charm!" Pichu nodded, gazing at Machop in a rather cute fashion. The Machop took a step back, sweating a bit. However, Hala's retort to this surprised all 3 children once again. "Machop, hit it with Karate Chop!" he ordered. The Machop sweat a bit again, clearly hesitating to hurt the Pichu.  
  
The hit landed, and it did bruise the Pichu a bit, but not much. It's cheeks sparked again, and the Machop's muscles locked up as it became paralyzed. Hau raised a brow in confusion, before pouting with annoyance. "Hey, I said not to go easy on me, tutu!" he whined. Moon and Glaidon were left to assume much the same, unable to make sense of the move. They had expected him to try to counter-act it with Focus Energy first, at least.  
  
Hala gave his grandson a poker-face as he simply said, "I'm not." Even Rotom was dumbfounded to this, however, Hau knew he couldn't dwell on it forever. "Alright then, Pichu, hit it with Thunder Shock!" Hala pointed at the Pichu as he gave out his own order as well, "Revenge!" The poor pokémon was struck with a bout of lightning as it was helpless to move out of the way. However, it quickly retaliated, punching Pichu back with surprisingly strong force. Pichu hit the ground hard, and was left half covered in scratches and bruises.   
  
Hau gasped, taken aback by the sudden turn of events. Rotom piped up excitedly, "Wait, I get it now! It's the Ability, Guts! The paralysis is making it stronger!" Hau began to sweat again as his confidence began to falter. He had done it again, he had fallen for his grandfather's trap. This time, Moon too, began to notice his demeanor. The young boy tried hard to swallow his fear, and appear serious. "Pichu! Tail Whip!" Hau ordered. The Pichu stood up, doing it's best to wag it's tail at the Machop.   
  
However, it didn't seem to have too much of an effect on it. "Karate Chop!" Hala ordered. Once again, the humanoid pokémon sent Pichu flying, somehow able to power through it's paralysis. Again, Pichu landed with a hard fall, but somehow, it still managed to keep itself awake. Very slowly, it began to push itself back up to it's feet as it's cheeks sparked a bit. "P-Piiii..." it groaned. One of it's eyes was swollen shut now, but it was still prepared to continue battling.  
  
"Pichu...you still want to fight?" Hau asked, seeming unsure about letting his pokémon continue getting injured. The blonde couldn't help but share in Hau's concern. He still felt strangely close with the Pichu. Pichu looked up at the Rotom, cheeks still sparking, "Pi! Pi pi! Pichu, pi!" Rotom was taken aback by the sudden communication, but quickly replied, "Is now really the time for that? Zzt! You need to focus!" The Pichu continued yelling at the Rotom for a minute before it finally returned it's attention to the Machop.  
  
"A-Alright...if that's what you want," he muttered, floating down towards Moon and Gladion as he continued recording. Moon raised a brow at him, "What's up, Rotom? Did he tell you something?" Rotom nodded, "Mm! He told me to tell Gla-a-a-a-Hanini something!" The blonde's concern only shot up more now. "M-Me? What's so important to tell  _me_?" he asked, seeming flustered. Moon pouted as Rotom began whispering into the blonde's ear, but it faltered as his eyes grew wide with shock.  
  
Once again, the older boy was caught staring with worry at the pair. Rotom quickly maneuvered his way back to the action. Hau was still confused, as he raised a brow at his pokémon, "Do you...have a plan, Pichu?" Pichu nodded, "Pi!" It took a moment before Hau could muster a serious face again as he hesitantly gave the Pichu it's last order. "Then hit it with another bout of Thunder Shock!" Pichu's cheeks sparked, and it closed it's still working eye as it began to focus.  
  
Rotom instinctively floated back from the Machop's side of the stage. After a moment or two, the Pichu raised it's tiny arms up. It's cheeks sparked even more now, almost... _excessively_ so. The blonde shuffled nervously, knowing full-well what was coming. Rotom began to sink a bit with nerve as Moon and Hau's jaws dropped. With one last deep gasp of a breath, the Pichu cried out as it brought down the biggest bolt of lightning it had ever mustered on the Machop.  
  
 ** _"PIIIIIIIIII!!!"  
  
_** Even Hala was caught off-guard by the power behind the move. Machop was left completely fried by the attack, and fall face-first onto the stage floor. Rotom jumped in with his judgement quickly, already seeing the swirled eyes of the Machop, "Machop is unable to battle! Pichu wins!" Pichu breathed heavily, it's cheeks still sparking a bit. Suddenly, it's cheeks smoked slightly as the spark completely disappeared. It swayed tiredly, before falling backwards onto it's back.   
  
Moon gasped, and Gladion winced with great unease. Hau was left completely speechless at this point, and Rotom squeaked in shock. "Do-o-ouble KO! The Pichu overheated itself with that critical hit!" he explained, limbs flapping about frantically. Wordlessly, Hau called the fried Pichu back into it's ball, as Hala did the same with his Machop.  _I'm so sorry, Pichu..._ Hau lamented, trying not to let his hurt show as he pulled his Dusk Ball back out.  
  
"Noibat, it's time for your comeback!" he called. The shock and sorrow of the moment had kept him from remembering the obvious obstacle still in his way. Hala cleared his throat, taking out his last pokéball. As he pushed the button on top of it to increase it's size, he looked Hau in the eye, "You're in the lead by 2, boy. But can you pull your act together for this one?" Moon and Gladion couldn't help but sweat with nerve as they registered completely what was about to happen.  
  
Hau's brain still hadn't caught up to him yet, unfortunately. "I'm ready for whatever it is you've got, tutu," he declared. Hala seemed to wince, as he tossed his pokéball into the air and called forth his final pokémon. Meowth hissed disapprovingly as the giant crab pokémon returned to the battlefield. Zorua was just watching in complete awe, almost squirming in the Meowth's arms from excitement. The entire trial had it itching to become strong like it's elders.  
  
Gladion noticed Hau's hands clench into fists. It had only just hit him? Was he still distracted with his loss? This wasn't good if that were the case. Hau swallowed hard, his faltering confidence stamped all-too-clearly on his face. He shook his head, trying hard to keep his focus. He had to do something. "N-Noibat, use Absorb!" he stammered. The blonde's eyes grew wide again as he whispered, "What is he doing...?! He had an opening to confuse it and make it harder for his Noibat to get hit...!"  
  
"M-Maybe he's got some kind of plan. He's been doing well  _so_ far, right?" Moon reasoned, though not entirely believing even  _herself_. The bat pokémon glowed with aura again, but it seemed strained to draw any energy from the Crabominable. Only a single wound was healed. Moon gulped, "Or...maybe not." Hala crossed his arms, and shook his head in disapproval. "Knock it out of the skies with Dizzy Punch!" he ordered. The bat pokémon wasn't able to dodge as it was whacked one of the giant pokémon's arms.  
  
It fell to the ground, screeching in pain. It managed to pull itself up, but it was clearly drained already. Hau began to panic in his own head.  _Crap...! He's about to faint already and healing it isn't working!_ he thought, constantly looking back and forth between his own pokémon and his grandfather's ace. Noibat's flapping movements were significantly slow now, and it could just barely get up a few feet in the air. Moon, Gladion, and their pokémon simply stared on in complete shocked silence.  
  
Rotom too, began to feel nervous. "Things aren't looking too good for the challenging tri-i-ial-goer..." he muttered. Hau's frown became sheepish, trying hard not to let his upset show and failing. "Tackle!" he ordered. Moon couldn't help but groan, pulling her hat down over her face. She just couldn't look, it was too unbearable. The blonde truly felt as though the world had turned upside down that day. Normally, it was  _Gladion_ that was constantly on edge. It was  _Gladion_ who made mistakes like this.  
  
He was far less experienced than Hau after all. Still, with all that he had learned from the young boy...a new form of concern for his companion formed.  _He's losing it..._ he thought, clutching at his hoodie nervously. Still, he bit his lip. He wanted badly to respect Hau's wishes, despite his worry. Perhaps he could make a turn for the better, yet. He still had one more pokémon, after all. The Noibat dove into the Crabominable, however, it didn't leave much of a mark on the well-built creature.  
  
"Dizzy Punch, again!"  
  
"Bom..."  
  
Once again, the Noibat was knocked out of the air with a pained screech. It fell back onto the wood flooring, and it's eyes swirled. Rotom raised a limb in Hala's direction again to make the call, "Noibat is unable to battle! Crabominable wins!" Shakily, Hau called back his fallen Noibat. His thoughts were all jumbled, and he couldn't even think straight enough for an apology to his pokémon for his distracted state. He only had one left, he knew he had to make it count. Staring down nervously at his Dive Ball, he tossed it into the air as he called out his last pokémon.  
  
"Crabrawler, go!"  
  
"Crab!"  
  
It had it's fists raised, ready to take the bulkier pokémon on. It stared down it's future, eyes gleaming with anticipation. This was everything it had aspired to be. And contrary to it's trainer's near frozen in fear state, it was pumped for action. "Hit it with Rock Smash!" Hau ordered. Crabrawler darted forward, punching the mighty Crabominable in the abdomen. It left a bit of a bruise, but still, it seemed it wasn't making much of a dent. This didn't deter the Crabrawler, however, as it jumped back, keeping it's fists up to defend itself.  
  
"This is certainly interesting...a Crabrawler going up against it's e-e-evolution! Zzt!" Rotom chirped. Moon nodded with slight uncertainty. She was still uneasy to Hau's clear struggle. The power gap between the two was incredible, but was it enough to cost Hau his victory? That was the question neither of them wanted to ask. Not even Hau himself wanted to think about it. "Bubble Beam!" Hala shouted. The Crabominable repositioned itself, opening it's gapping maw and shooting out a fast and hard stream of bubbles at it's target.  
  
Crabrawler held up it's fists, resisting the attack as hard as it could. However, this left a few bruises on it's claws. Once the attack was over with, Crabrawler pulled it's arms down and cried out aggressively, "Crab!" Hau sighed with relief without realizing it, and kept up his obvious false act of bravado. There was a moment of hesitation, before he decided his next move. "Rock Smash, again!" This time, as the Crabrawler moved, the children noticed it moved a bit more slowly now. Had the previous attack compromised it's speed?  
  
Knocking into the tall pokémon again, it only just now began making somewhat of a mark on it's opponent. The Crabominable moaned lowly, and it seemed like it's defenses had lowered. For a brief moment, the older boy started to feel a bit more hopeful. He was just thankful it hadn't ended in a single blow already. However, that hope began to falter as Hala pulled up his sleeve again. Hau's faced contorted into a grimace as Moon began to feel sick to her stomach. Everyone knew what was coming now. And it  _wasn't_ going to be pleasant.  
  
Crabrawler began to sweat a bit as it's opponent began to glow again with horrifying aura. Moon pulled her hat over her eyes again, and Gladion was just the opposite, unable to look away and frozen into place. Just like Hau. Meowth's ears folded a bit in concern, as Zorua stared on sadly. It's previous investment in the battle was now tainted by all the fear and sadness it felt from the children. Crabominable mimicked Hala's movements once again, and once the dance had finished, it's eyes gleamed brightly with power. The 3 words they had all dreaded rang through the air like a siren.  
  
 **"ALL-OUT PUMMELING!!!"  
  
** The Crabrawler brought it's fists up to defend itself again, as a seemingly endless slew of punches came it's way. They were much more powerful, and their impact was only boosted by the Crabominable's effect. Crabrawler wheezed as it struggled against the blows, until finally the Crabominable delivered one last punch that knocked it back with a hard crash. It's palms steamed with heat as it's aura faded. The Crabrawler was horribly bruised now, groaning and wheezing in unimaginable pain. Hau was now completely frozen.  
  
Then, by some miracle, the Crabrawler had pulled itself up. It had a black eye, but it glared fiercely with the one it still had. Raising it's fist-like claws back up, it breathed heavily. A single cough escaped it's mouth, and it's legs looked wobbly. It had only managed to survive the onslaught of blows by a single, paper-thin hair. Or in it's case, a pincer. Everyone was too shocked to speak. Even the pokémon who had been watching this spectacle, even Rotom himself. The entire group had fallen deafly silent.  
  
The miracle of Crabrawler's survival hardly even registered with Hau. All the fears and doubts that had been building up until now began eating away at him, and at the worst moment it could've. Moon and Gladion both managed to snap out of it, as Moon realized how long it had been since Crabominable unleashed it's attack. "H...He's not moving. He needs to move...!" The blonde noticed quickly that she was right...except for one thing. Hau's hand was shaking. The sight seemed to snap something inside the older boy, as Hau grabbed at it with his other hand.  
  
He was still conscious enough to recognize he had to keep himself composed. Unfortunately, it seemed his body was no longer listening to him at all. He could've been thinking about any number of things, neither of them had any idea. For all they knew, his mind was totally empty. Gladion never imagined he would  _ever_ see Hau like this. He was such a happy and hopeful person. That he could become so shaken, that it would ever be difficult for him to even muster a smile, it was unthinkable. Gladion shook his head, turning to look at Moon.  
  
"What's wrong with him...?!"  
  
"Isn't it obvious?"  
  
"I...I don't know...! I've never seen him this way before."  
  
"He's under  _way_  too much pressure! He's not thinking straight! If this keeps up, there's no  _way_  he'll be able to turn this around!"  
  
He knew he wanted to do this on his own. But...no, there was no justification for staying so silent. Hau considered him his friend, and in turn, he trusted in Hau to keep him safe. They were companions now. He had already gone out of his way to try and reassure the young boy. It was clear now that he needed help. He needed to hear something. Someone,  _anyone_ to tell him...to dispel his fears. Gladion gulped, still hesitating as his thoughts screamed at him.  
  
 _What are you waiting for...? He **needs** you!  
  
_He took a deep breath, and finally, he called out to him. "Hau!" he shouted. Immediately, Hau's eyes widened as he snapped out of his panicked trance. He turned himself around just slightly to locate the source of the call. He stared on in confusion, as his dark eyes locked with the blonde's emerald orbs. "Hanini...?" he whispered. Even now, he was still careful not to stutter the boy's true name. Gladion was caught almost just as frozen as he was, until finally he mustered the courage to speak again.  
  
"I...It's ok to be scared! You just have to remember how far you've gotten. You can't give up now. E aho, Hau!"  
  
Hau couldn't help but blush as his eyes twinkled in adoration. He let out a light gasp halfway through the older boy's rampant encouragements. Something inside him was brewing again, and this time, he was starting to understand it more clearly. But it was still a bit too foggy.  _Gladion..._ the boy's name was all that was running through Hau's head. After a long and heavy silence, the blonde slowly offered a weak but genuine smile to calm his comrade's nerves.  
  
"I believe in you, you can do this."  
  
It was those first 4 words that had blown the flood gates wide open. Hau's heart began racing like crazy. His mind was completely clear now as he realized how it was he had been feeling the past few days. And even more paralyzing, was the meaning behind these words. Gladion...he  _actually_ believed in Hau! He had faith in him! Sure, just a couple nights ago the older boy already offered him some confidence. But never before had he felt so... _adored_?  
  
All these thoughts, all these feelings that had finally begun swirling around his heart and mind could've gone on swirling more and more for hours. However, with a quick shake of his head, he snapped himself back to reality. He would worry about his feelings later. Right now, his comrade was on the sidelines rooting for him. And he couldn't,  _wouldn't_ let him down. Not this time. He turned his attention back to his gasping pokémon, "Crabrawler! Are you alright?" The Crabrawler seemed surprised at it's trainer's sudden concern, but nodded all the same.  
  
"You got a trick up your sleeve, buddy? As long as you're standing, we've got a chance at winning," Hau said. Crabrawler nodded, raising it's fists up again offense. "Crab!" Hau nodded, taking a bold step forward as he raised his hand up in the air, "Pull it's defenses down with Leer!" A glint appeared in the Crabrawler's eyes as it glared menacingly at the Crabominable. The look made the furry pokémon uneasy, as it's arms lowered a bit in uncertainty. Hala just shook his head again, "It's good to see you have your confidence back, but it's like I said before. Weakening it's defenses won't do you a whole lot of good."  
  
"Finish it with Dizzy Punch, Crabominable!" Hala ordered. The bulky pokémon raised up it's arm, and swung for the Crabominable. However, in a moment that could only be described as a blessing from Arceus, Crabrawler managed to jump out of the way and dodge it. Hala's eyes went wide. Rotom cried out in awe and amazement, "It dodged the attack!" Hau smirked, "Sorry tutu, but it looks like  _you_ won't be the one to dish the finishing blow. Crabrawler,  _NOW_! Use Rock Smash!" The small crab pokémon seethed with power, as it began steaming with heat.  
  
Rotom's screen flashed as it beeped with excitement, "It's the Special Ability, Anger Point! It must've been set off during the Z-Move attack!" Finally, Moon and Gladion both could muster relieved smiles. Zorua's anticipation returned as it's tail wagged and it's eyes sparkled, and Meowth cheered on the crab enthusiastically. The crab pokémon darted forward, slamming it's fist into the towering pokémon with so much force it fell backwards onto it's back. The Crabrawler hopped back, landing with a stumble on it's legs.  
  
The Crabominable moaned in pain, but it didn't move. Gently, and slowly, Rotom inched over to the fallen pokémon. An exclamation mark popped up on it's screen as it's limbs flailed in surprise. It rose up into the air again, and looked between the two trainers. Then, finally, after what seemed like an hour, Rotom raised a limb up in Hau's direction. "Crabominable is unable to battle! Hala is now out of eligible pokémon, making Hau and Cra-a-abrawler the winners!" The grin that spread across Hau's face left Gladion absolutely breathless.  
  
Crabrawler pumped it's fists victoriously as it's trainer began spinning and dancing with excitement. Gladion's eyes nearly teared up, as a massive wave of relief flooded over him. Moon smiled as well, as the pokémon that sat on her shoulder cheered gleefully. As Hau stopped spinning, his eyes landed on the blonde. Overwhelmed with emotion, he jumped off the stage and pounced on the older boy in a tight hug. Surprisingly, Gladion actually caught him and spun him around with a chuckle. Meowth hopped off Moon's shoulder, placing Zorua down on the ground.  
  
The baby pokémon frolicked around the laughing boys. Finally after 5 minutes, Hau pulled off of Gladion, taking his hands in his own. "I did it, I won! I-I can't believe it!" he squeaked, blushing a bit with pure happiness. The blonde couldn't help but keep on smiling, "I knew you could do it...you did great out there, Hau." Hau's grin shrunk a bit, but he was still smiling widely. "Thanks for believing in me, Hanini..." he whispered gently. Gladion simply nodded, looking up when Rotom floated down towards them.  
  
"Congratulations, Hau! You won your very first Grand Trial! Zzt!" he praised. Crabrawler shuffled up to the side of the stage, and Hau's eyes widened as he remembered he need to tend to it. Gently, he picked up the bruised pokémon. "S-Sorry buddy, I don't have any medicine on me right now, but here, take this. You deserve it," he said, handing the crab pokémon a pokébean. It gladly took it and chomped down on it. Hau chuckled quietly, patting it gently to try and soothe it's pain. He turned his head when Hala approached however, before gently putting the pokémon on the ground with Zorua.  
  
Zorua nuzzled and snuggled the nervous pokémon. Meowth snickering in amusement. It was quiet again for a moment, before Hala held out another Fightinium Crystal to Hau. Slowly, Hau took it and stared down at it with bright eyes. Then, he received a gentle pat on the head. When he looked up again, his grandfather was smiling gently. "You've got a lot to learn, but a loss is a loss. You passed your Grand Trial, congratulations." Hau beamed as his wide grin returned, clutching the crystal close to his chest as he nodded.  
  
Moon took a deep and loud breath. "Well then! I dunno about  _you_ two, but I'm  _beat_. So uhhh, I'm gonna head home and rest up for the night. This was totally worth the wait. See you boys around, m'kay?" Meowth bid the two pokémon farewell as it followed after Moon and Rotom who took off quickly. Gladion yawned, rubbing at his eyes gently. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea, actually...I could use some rest as well," he admitted, bending down to pick his Zorua up again. Hau nodded, picking up his own pokémon as well.

 

* * *

 

Gladion was already long passed out on the couch, as evidenced by his soft snoring. It had been a few hours, and it was safe to say he wouldn't be having any night terrors tonight. Hau sat on one of the other two sofas, hugging his knees and watching his companion sleep. His Litten was grooming itself beside him, so it wasn't paying much mind to them. Null sat on the floor in front of the couch, also well asleep. Rowlet flew around Hau to get his attention, as Hala entered the room holding a mug and sat on the only remaining couch in the room.  
  
"He seems to be sleeping a lot more peacefully tonight," he said, taking a sip from his mug. Rowlet landed on the old man's shoulder, cooing quietly. Hau didn't respond, only starting at his grandfather for a moment before resting his head on his arms. Hala noticed this, and put down his mug. "You're upset," he stated, bluntly. Hau sighed, "No...that's not it." Hala raised a brow at this, "Well what is it, then? You were pretty happy just a few hours ago. Are you worried about something?"  
  
Hau hesitantly met his grandfather's eyes again, "Tutu...what do you do when you're in love with someone who's nothing like you?" Hala's eyes nearly popped open again as his brows raised. "Hau, where-ever is this coming from? You've found yourself a special girl so soon?" Hau's face turned red as he looked down sheepishly, "N...Not... _exactly_." Hesitantly, he trained his eyes back onto the sleeping boy. Hala realized quickly who he was referring to. "Oh...I see," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head a bit nervously.  
  
"I-I know, it...it's weird. I've only known him for a week, but, I..."  
  
"Have you told him yet?"  
  
"O-Of course not! It's...it's not his problem."  
  
"Are you  _sure_  you're in love?"  
  
"Well...it  _feels_ like that's what it is. Whenever he holds my hand, my face feels hot. And when he asked me to teach him Alolan my heart almost stopped. One time, he fell asleep on me, so I kind of cuddled next to him. A-And...just last night, I...I kind of got a little too close to him. I don't think he noticed anything weird, but...I wasn't really thinking about it. I donno."  
  
Hala chuckled, "Yeah, I'd say you're in love alright." Hau groaned, burying his face in his hands. His voice became muffled, but it was still clear, "Ohhh, tutu, just tell me what do I  _do_...?! I've never felt like this before. It's...confusing...but I also don't want it to go away." Hala rubbed the bottom his chin in deep thought for a moment. It was plain to see his grandson was hopelessly in love with Gladion. He always knew something like this would happen one day. But so soon, it was a bit off-putting. Though, he had anticipated this reaction of his grandson.  
  
"You were in love once. What was it like when you and grandma first met?" he sighed, hesitantly peeking through his fingers. Hala chuckled as fond memories returned to him. "Ahh, that's  _quite_ the tale, Hau. I was a bit of a troublemaker back in my day," he admitted. Hau's blush began to fade as he raised his head up and lowered his hands, grasping instead onto his kneecaps. "Really?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. A common effect whenever his grandfather told him a story like this.  
  
"I was a bit of a prankster, and everything I did was to impress the ladies. And luckily for me, it worked. However, your old man had the social skills of a Metapod. Luana was much like you, a free and easily-impressed young spirit," he explained. Hau smiled to himself. He never met his grandmother, but he still felt fondly of her. His mother often compared them, and the thought gave him some comfort. "She bought into all the hot air I spouted. I was able to keep her wrapped around my finger off of over-exaggerated tall tales."  
  
He chuckled, "And when you tried to flirt, I'm guessing you didn't really stick the landing." Hala nodded, "Yup, I was seriously hopeless. She was an incredibly friendly and physical kind of gal. She would kiss your cheek to greet you, and she was a big hugger." Hau glanced at the snoozing blonde again as he listened. He knew that he too, had a bit of a problem getting too close to people. He wondered if the older boy ever felt uncomfortable with him. The thought didn't get too far before his grandfather continued.  
  
"And just like you, I was completely flustered every time she got close."  
  
"Sounds really complicated..."  
  
"It was, for quite a long time."  
  
"So, how did you end up together? You guys had to have confessed at some point, right?"  
  
"Well, of course we did. Or at least, my confession was about as good as I could manage..." he admitted, sweating a bit.  
  
"Oh geez, I'm hopeless, aren't I?"  
  
"Not true, you're much like Luana, after all. And since she confessed  _first_..."  
  
Hau's face went red again as he hugged his knees. His eyes wandered onto the older boy one more time.  _I wonder...if you would ever feel that way about_ _ **me**  _he thought. Litten had been listening for a while now, and noticed it's master's strange behavior. Gently, it rubbed it's paw against his leg and mewed curiously. Hau's brows raised up as he turned to look at his pokémon. He smiled, leaning forward and petting it's head. "It's kind of late, huh? I guess I should go to bed..." he sighed, getting up off the couch.  
  
"Thanks for the story, tutu. I feel a lot better now," he said, turning towards his room. Hala nodded, picking up his mug again, "Glad to help, ʻo kaʻu keiki." Hau smiled to himself, turning to look at his grandpa one last time as he approached the doorway of his room. "Alola po, tutu. Love you!" he called, before disappearing behind his door with Litten. Hala sipped at his drink, watching Gladion sleep quietly. Rowlet cooed, tucking itself in tiredly as it began to doze off. "I wonder...if you're starting to consider my offer after all," he muttered before taking another sip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy this grand finale while I go ahead and die for a few days cause wow I need a nap after these monsters.
> 
> Dad Guzma is _best_ Guzma, don't you agree?


	25. Chapter 24 - Dirty Little Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the boys brainstorm a way to get to Akala Island, Lillie makes a final decision concerning the rescued Eevee.

The house was bustling and noisy, a state it hadn't been in for quite a few years. The boys' and Hala's pokémon were feasting eagerly from their food bowls as Hau washed dishes from the breakfast they had all just finished. Hala had stepped out, claiming to need to speak with Kukui. Which left the boys in wait for him to return. Though, this didn't bother them nearly as much now. The only downside was now they were left with their thoughts. Both of them were terribly troubled with a painful question.  
  
_What now?_  
  
Now that Moon and Hau both had passed their first Grand Trial, all that was left was to move onto the next part of the trials on Akala Island. However, there was no way for Hau to take Gladion with him. The Ferry Stations were still infested with Aether Foundation lackeys, and neither of them were even remotely strong enough to just intimidate them away. No, that'd just cause more problems than it was worth anyways. And only trial-goers were permitted to use the pokémon ride service. Even then, only certain people could give you access to certain pokémon.  
  
Hau unfortunately didn't even have such a device. So flying there was definitely out of the question. He had no pokémon of his own that could swim either. Though it was ill-advised to travel that way. Not even a Lapras or Sharpedo could get you between islands that way. The trip was too great for them to traverse. As Hau finished washing his dishes, he noticed that half the hungry pokémon had finished their own meals and were already chattering away with each other. He couldn't help but giggle gleefully at the cute site.  
  
Suddenly, a knock on the door pulled both boys out of their respective trances. Gladion sat up from his spot on the couch, staring at the door wearily. It definitely wasn't Kukui. Hau stepped away from the sink, wiping his hands with a dish cloth. "Who is it?" he asked, raising his voice so whomever was on the other side of the door could hear him. "Who do you think it is, dummy? It's Moon!" a familiar feminine voice snarked back. Hau quickly opened the door, allowing her to shuffle inside with her newly healthy Popplio.  
  
As soon as they entered, Litten and Zorua rushed up to Popplio and began fussing over it. They were still shaken up by it's loss yesterday. Hau greeted her with a kind smile, "Hey Moon, watcha doin' back here? Did you need my grandpa for something?" Moon shook her head, re-adjusting her purse on her shoulder. "Nah, I just came up here to wish you guys good luck. I'm heading out for Akala Island today. I've got my ticket, so I'll be there before sundown today," she explained.  
  
"Oh, I see..." Hau said, his smile immediately falling. She didn't seem to catch this as she continued, "So yeah, just came to say that I'll see you there!" Hau rubbed his arm with a sneer at this. She blinked, finally noticing his silence. She raised a brow, "What is it?" Hau sighed, "Moon, I'm not sure we'll be able to meet up with you. The Aether Foundation are parked outside the Ferry Station, and likely  _every_ Ferry Station all across Alola." She looked down, feeling guilty and pitiful for the boys. She blushed a bit, her expression turning sheepish from shame.  
  
"O-Oh...right," she muttered. Suddenly, a new voice joined in the conversation.  _2_ new voices, to be exact. And one of them had Moon groan as she frowned impressively. "HEY! COUSIN! THIS IS PERFECT!" a familiar, peppy voice shouted. She pulled herself together for the most part, but she still pouted as she turned around to see Hala and her  _loud_ cousin, Kukui. "Heeeyyy, Kukui..." she greeted in a low and monotone voice. Hau blinked curiously, and Gladion stood up off the couch as he raised a brow in increasing confusion.  
  
"Why don't you boys put away your pokémon and come outside for a moment? Kukui and I have something for you all," Hala suggested. Hau and Gladion exchanged looks, and Moon joined in the charade. Eventually, Hau just shrugged, calling back all his pokémon and putting them away save for Litten. Gladion mimicked this, leaving his Zorua out to stretch it's legs. Once they were prepared, everyone shuffled outside, the kids lining up patiently. Suddenly, Kukui held up a small and strangely shaped device, and then flicked his hands to reveal he had another one in his fingers.  
  
"Introducing, your very own Ride Pager!"  
  
"A...Ride Pager?" Moon repeated.  
  
"Yup! That's what I said! This little doo-hickey let's you call a taxi pokémon service. Most of them are locked up, since these are only meant for trial-goer use. But these two have a Tauros service. All you gotta do is press the buttons on the screen, it's real easy to use!"  
  
"Wow! This is so cool!" Hau cheered, as he took his Ride Pager and Moon took hers. She tucked it away in her purse after allowing Kukui to show her how to work it. Hau needed no demonstration, having seen his grandfather do it a million times over. "Thanks, Professor! This'll definitely come in handy!" Kukui nodded, putting his hands on his hips. "Welp, you lot should probably head on over to Akala now. My wife and I have a research lab over in Heahea city. So I'll be seeing you kids around. Alola!" he said, turning and heading back home.  
  
Moon nodded at the boys sadly, and Popplio gave much the same energy in it's own farewell. Hesitantly, the pair disappeared behind Kukui further into Iki Town. Hau looked down sadly, staring down at the pager dejectedly. Hala noticed their despair and stepped forward, quickly gaining their attention. "You know...there is one  _other_ way to get to Akala," he admitted. The boys' faces both lit up as they leaned in in disbelief. "There is?!" they squeaked in unison. Immediately their faces when red and they looked away from each other as they realized it.  
  
"There's this new craze going on right now. It's called Mantine Surfing. It's incredibly hard to travel between islands using a Mantine, but it has been done. Seeing as they're more privy to waves than Laprases and Sharpedos."  
  
"R-Really?! Where is it?" Hau squeaked.  
  
"Heahea Beach has a station set up."  
  
"That's where the motel was, that's so far...!" Gladion sighed.  
  
Hau smirked, "Not when we've got a Tauros, it's not!"  
  
Hala chuckled, patting Hau on the head. "Go on, now. Have fun. And good luck on your Island Challenge, Hau," he said, taking his large hand off of Hau's head. Hau nodded, turning on his Ride Pager and calling for a Tauros for 2 passengers. Before long, a bulky bull pokémon with 3 tails and sturdy horns came trotting up the steps to Iki Town towards the two young boys. On it's back was a saddle, and from it hung two bags. Hau took these bags off, handing one to Gladion who raised a brow at him curiously. "These are for us to wear when we ride it. It's much safer this way, trust me.  
  
The blonde nodded, putting on the safety pads and helmet, as Hau geared up completely. Hanging their bags back on the hooks on the side, the boys slowly and carefully approached the pokémon. Despite being specifically trained, they were still a bit weary of angering it. Litten hopped onto it's master's shoulders, keeping a firm grip on him. Carefully, Hau climbed ontop of the saddle. Once he was secured, he reached a hand out to the timid blonde. He gently placed his Zorua in his satchel, leaving it's head poking out for air before he hesitantly took it, climbing as Hau pulled him up.   
  
Once he was settled, Hau turned to look at his grandfather, "Alola, tutu! I'll call you when we get to a hotel!" Hala waved, as Hau kicked gently at the Tauros' calf to signal they were ready for departure. The wind that came from the speedy trip blew their hair back. It was so strong, Gladion's right eye was mostly uncovered as they moved. In less than 20 minutes, they had arrived at the entrance to the beach. Hopping down from the Tauros, the boys unhooked the gear from themselves and returned it to the bags.   
  
Hau hit another button on his Pager, and waved as the Tauros took off again. He turned to head towards the beach, but suddenly he was pulled to a stop. Turning around, he found quickly that Gladion had grabbed his wrist. He blinked curiously, "Is something the matter, Hanini?" Gladion shook his head, quickly releasing his hold on the younger boy. "Oh, no, I...just wait a second. I just wanted to return our key to the motel before we leave," he explained, holding up said key to prove his point. Hau scratched his cheek and blushed a bit, "O-Oh. Right! I'll just wait here then!"

Without another word, he watched Gladion disappear into the front office. He was left alone with his thoughts again. Finally, he was going to continue his trials. Still, it seemed the tiniest bit dangerous. The older boy came to Melemele for a reason. Obviously, not many Aether Foundation camps were set up on Melemele. There just wasn't room for them. It was the smallest island, after all. With every new island, it would just mean more trouble. Because of this, he still felt a little bad about having to drag Gladion around with him. But...then again, he already said he was ok with it, didn't he?

These thoughts didn't get much time to swirl, as the blonde swiftly returned from inside the motel to meet back up with his travel companion. Walking carefully down the slope as their pokémon followed. Once their feet hit the sandy surface of the beach, they were greeted by a beautiful woman in a bikini. "Alola, boys! You look like some new customers, are you two interested in our Mantine Surfing service?" she asked. Hau nodded, "Yup! I'm a trial-goer, and we're here to travel to Akala Island! We heard this method is a lot of fun." The woman snickered, "You got that right!"

  
"So, you're a trial-goer, you say? Lucky you, that makes this service free of charge!" she beamed. Hau grinned, " _Awesome_!" The boys followed her to the edge of the water, where two large manta ray pokémon with saddles floated in wait. The woman turned to look at them again, "Have either of you boys ever been on a board before?" Hau nodded, raising his hand as if he were in a class, "I have!" She squatted down, gently patting the fins of one of the Mantine as it chirped happily, "Good! This should be super easy for you then! It's all about team-work!"  
  
Gladion sweat a bit, his face going a bit dark as his nerves became a bit shot. The woman suddenly shot back up to her feet as she squeaked in a revelation. "Oh! Right, you boys might wanna put your pokémon back in their balls. Afraid it's not too safe for even the smaller guys to take a spin on these things. Besides, sometimes they can distract it and that'll cause all  _sorts_ of problems," she explained. Quickly, the boys called back their remaining pokémon before tucking their pokéballs back into their bags. Another girl in a swimsuit called out to the woman.  
  
She smiled at the boys, waving as she darted off towards the girl, "Good luck, boys! You'll do  _great_!" Once she was gone, Hau noticed that Gladion's legs were trembling. He grabbed onto his shoulder gently to get his attention, and saw for himself that Gladion was sweating nervously. "H-Hanini! Are you nervous?" The blonde nodded, swallowing hard as he began to explain himself, "I-I've  _never_  surfed before. I've never even  _been_ to a beach before...! I don't know how to  _swim_! I-I don't think I can do this." Hau tapped his cheek in thought for a moment, before a metaphorical light bulb lit up in his head.  
  
"Then we'll both ride it! You can just hold onto me the whole way there!"  
  
"Wh-What?! No way! I don't even trust you with a  _car_! Why the hell would I trust you with  _this_?"  
  
He pondered again for a moment, "Hmm...then  _you_  can take the wheel!"  
  
"B-But I don't know the first thing about this! Did you not hear what I said?"  
  
"It's easy! And you'll have  _me_  to help you if you get confused!"  
  
Gladion stared out at the ocean anxiously. Akala Island was just barely visible from this distance, but it was definitely there. He took a deep breath before turning to look at Hau again, "...You  _really_ wanna go to that island?" Hau smiled. He wasn't too worried about Gladion's anxiety as he used to be. He knew he was the only one capable of offering him comfort where others could not. "C'mon. I promise, nothing's gonna happen. You may think I can't keep that promise but I'm gonna," he declared.  
  
Gladion blushed a bit, pouting down at the Mantine that stared up expectantly at them. Truly, Hau was his greatest kryptonite. He couldn't help but believe it when Hau said things would be ok. No matter how un-nerved he felt. Sometimes it was a talent that the older boy was incredibly grateful for. And others times, such as now, it was just a nuisance. But he couldn't bring himself to complain. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he valued Hau's dream greatly. Which meant he had no choice but to go along with it. Hesitantly, he took a deep breath before he spoke.  
  
"...F-Fine. I...I can  _probably_ do this."

 

* * *

  
Lillie called her fainted pokémon back into it's ball. She wiped the sweat off her brow, having had to really strain herself in this battle. It all ended with loss in the end, but this time, she wasn't quite so agitated by it. It had been a long and grueling training session. But even with her outcome, she knew her pokémon had benefited greatly from their increase in power. She breathed heavily, having exhausted both her voice and her spirit. Her opponent pat his Golisopod, letting it munch on a handful of pokébeans before stuffing his hands in his hoodie pockets.  
  
He opponent approached her, holding out a small ball to her. She raised a brow at it as she observed it. It was green, and had 4 tear-drop shaped, red markings on the front. In the middle centered above them was a yellow dot. She took it, turning it around to observe it more in-depth. "What kind of pokéball is  _this_ , Boss?" she asked, squinting her eyes at it. "That there is what's called a Friend Ball. It helps your bond with your pokémon get stronger more quickly," he explained as she put it in her dufflebag.  
  
She still had a brow raised curiously, "But...why would I need one of these?" He smirked, "It's for that Eevee you've got cooped up in your room, numbskull. Now go on, you did good today. Take a rest." Lillie watched on as he turned away and headed back for the mansion alongside his arthropod companion. She shuffled to the Pokémon Center, ignoring the rude comments from the grunt behind the desk as she put them in the machine. Once her team was healed, she headed across the street for her home.  
  
Once she reached the second floor where her room was, she released everyone and tossed her dufflebag back onto the floor. Eevee sat up immediately, more than excited to greet it's new-found friends. A slew of chitters and barks filled the air as they began to chat away about their morning. Lillie leaned on her vanity, watching boredly as a hand rested on her cheek. Her attention was sparked when she felt something tug on her skirt. She turned, looking down to see that Nebby had climbed out of it's bag and was holding the Friend Ball.  
  
She rolled her eyes, picking up the smoggy pokémon and taking the ball from it, "No, bad Nebula. That's not a toy. And you need to be resting, young man." The Cosmog just grinned and chirped happily as it waved it's limbs, "Peeewww~!" She rolled her eyes again, stuffing him back into the dufflebag, and giving him a strong tap on the head. "No. Stay in the bag," she pouted, her cheeks flushing a bit. She stood back up, turning the ball in her hand again as she kept on staring at it curiously. Then, her gaze fell back onto the Eevee.  
  
It seemed lively, and while it's foreleg still hurt, it was moving about much more easily now. It was certainly a cuddly and affectionate little pup. She waited for the noisy pokémon to calm down before she approached them. Clefairy, Herdier, and Fomantis all waddled away to allow their master room. Lillie squatted down, staring into the Eevee's eyes blankly. It sniffed at her carefully, lifting a paw in curiosity. Lillie pushed the button on the ball to enlarge it, squeezing it slightly as she kept staring at the fluffy pokémon.  
  
"Do you wanna be a powerful fighter?"  
  
The Eevee tilted it's head at her, seeming to sincerely ponder the question. Then, it grinned, nodding as it barked, "Vee!" The blonde's eyes trailed down to the Eevee's wrapped up foreleg again. The Eevee covered it up with it's tail, pouting with agitation. It had been restless to get up and stretch it's legs. And it only got worse whenever it watched the other pokémon sparring together. One time just the day before, it fell flat on it's face trying to stand up from excitement watching one such spar. Lillie's brows perked up at this, "You hate this weakness, don't you?"  
  
The Eevee looked up at her, pouting fiercely. The expression so closely resembled Lillie's own pouty face that it was almost un-nerving. It nodded again. The blonde stood up, stepping back a couple inches and holding up the ball to her chest. The two stared at each other for a long time, all the other pokémon watching silently and tensely. Then Lillie tossed the ball at the pup, who chirped in glee as the light consumed it. After 3 light wobbles against the pillow where the pokémon previously sat, it clicked with success.  
  
She couldn't help but smirk, picking up the ball and tossing it up into the air again to call the Eevee back out. As soon as it returned to it's spot on the pillow, it rubbed at it's eyes as it's ears twitched. "Vee!" it cried, as the other pokémon surrounded it again. The loud chittering filled the room once more as Lillie smiled smugly, returning to her vanity as she dropped the ball back into her bag beside Nebby. "Welcome to the team, Eevee. Glad to have you onboard," she greeted, before getting to work to fix the make-up that had been scuffed or melted during her training session.

 

* * *

  
"I can't do this, I can't do this...! I'm going to die...!  _We_ are going to die...!"  
  
The two boys were perched atop a Mantine together, Hau's hands gripping onto Gladion's waist to keep himself from falling back. The older boy was in the front, taking the lead on the large pokémon they were standing on. Hau couldn't help but chuckle. It was really too cute how flustered the blonde was. After all, he had been doing a nearly perfect job keeping his balance. He offered his companion quick assurance, "Relax, Hanini. It's easy. Just keep your eyes forward and let Mantine do the work."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Don't  _worry_. I'll help you along. Just focus."  
  
"...A-Alright. Alright. I'm focusing."  
  
The blonde took a deep breath, trying hard not to panic. After all, he didn't want to scare the creature. Though, despite having a life vest and helmet, he still felt the tiniest bit nervous. Strangely, the contact between him and Hau brought him greater comfort than all the safety measures. Suddenly, the Mantine seemed to bump against something in the wave they were currently gliding on. Hau yelped in surprise as he wrapped his arms around Gladion completely to prevent himself from falling off. The older boy tried his best not to stumble around too much.  
  
Once the wobbling stopped, the Mantine made a low keening noise of reassurance. They sighed in relief, but Hau didn't move his arms just yet. His face flushed and his thoughts began swirling again. Gladion too couldn't help but feel flustered by it. But he didn't say anything, nor did he pull away from Hau. Mostly because of the cramped position they were in. Though in the back of his head, a part of him had the thought that he didn't want him to let go. He still struggled to reach out to Hau himself, but he was powerless anytime Hau reached out to  _him_.  
  
_He's not saying anything...maybe he's too weirded out. I should just stop_ Hau thought, moving his hands back up to his hips. Finally, Gladion swallowed his embarrassment and spoke up, "A...Are you alright, Hau?" Hau snapped out of his thoughts and nodded, "Oh! Y-Yes. I was more worried about you." He chuckled nervously as his hid his blush against the blonde's back. The rest of the trip was a wobbly ride full of apologies and surprised gasps and yelps from any bumps in the water. Eventually, the island began to grow closer.  
  
A woman in a swimsuit was perched on the upcoming beach, waving at them with a phone in her hand. It seemed they had been expected. Gladion smiled, turning his head to look at Hau, "Hau, we made it! I can see the beach!" The younger boy grinned and beamed brightly, "Really?! Shutes! We actually made it! This is  _awesome_!" Slowly, the boys guided the Mantine towards the shore of the beach and eagerly hopped off it's back onto dry land. The older boy let out a sigh of relief, feeling perfectly safe once again.  
  
Hau turned to the woman who had waved them down, greeting her kindly. "Howzit! We come from Melemele!" he beamed. The woman nodded, "So then, you must be that trial-goer my superior told me about. Welcome to Akala, boys! The nearest hotel is just up those stairs over there, they've got plenty of space so go on and check in! I'll be sending Mantine back to his station." Quickly, the boys changed out of their surfing gear and back into their clothes, before calling back out Litten and Zorua again. Zorua stumbled dizzily, as Litten shook it's rattled fur to straighten it out.  
  
Even within their small, encapsulated homes, they felt the full impact of the journey. Eventually, Zorua shook off it's sea-sickness as Litten stopped shaking itself about. Just as Gladion put up his hood, Hau grabbed his hand and began pulling him towards the stairs. "Slow down, Hau, it's not like the hotel is gonna get up and escape if you don't hurry," he whined, pouting at the younger boy. "I know, but I wanna get a good room so we can go tour the town!" he said, barely able to contain his excitement. Litten expressed much the same indifference to his enthusiasm.  
  
It was a much taller building than they were expecting to see. It caught them both incredibly off-guard. They stared up at it for a moment, before entering the front door anxiously. The lobby was large, and beautifully decorated at that. Beside the front desk was two elevators on either side, and some VIP ropes blocked off a couple of staircases and hallways that branched out in the bustling room. There were a few people sitting around in the waiting room, and along with them their pokémon. It was certainly a step up from the shabby place they at on Melemele.  
  
"Wow, it's so pretty in here. I wonder what the rooms are like."  
  
"A-Are you sure we can afford this?"  
  
"Oh, don't worry, Trail-Goers get a lot of discounts on stuff. So we should be good!"  
  
"I... _guess_ that makes sense."  
  
"I'm gonna go check in. Are you gonna be ok if I leave here for a second?"  
  
Gladion nodded, squatting down to play with his Zorua while Hau made his way up to the front desk. The cute fox pokémon rolled and jumped around excitedly. It gauged a light chuckle out of the blonde, who was amused with the child's antics. It was definitely enamored with him, and vice versa. Being young as he was, he never really thought about being a parent before. Being a pokémon trainer wasn't all the different from it, after all. You raised them, fed them, bonded with them. Unlike humans, they just couldn't speak the same language as him.  
  
There was still a burning fury inside of him. And this burning will reached to the hearts of his other pokémon as well. Especially Null, who had become a guide to the little ones. Even to Hau's pokémon, sometimes. The last time he had this feeling was when things weren't so complicated. When he still had Cleffy, and Lillie. When his father was still around to keep all of them happy. It was a much more pleasant time for them to be alive. And yet still, it was his previous failures by Lillie  _and_ Cleffy that drove him to do better with Zorua.  
  
The child didn't have the faintest clue about it's parent trainer's struggle with this. But it also hadn't the faintest clue how much it helped him jump over these hurdles, either. It wagged it's tail playfully, barking and pouncing care-free and thoughtless. While it was still too young to understand the hearts it connected with, it still resonated with them. Most of all, it connected with it's imprinted partner. In time and with training, perhaps, it would be the only one that would truly understand his heart above all others. Or at least, one of the surely few.  
  
Eventually, Hau returned to the two, dangling a key from one of his fingers as he spun it around eagerly. "I got us a 2 bed room this time around, so you won't have to snooze on the floor!" Gladion stood up, and Zorua went back to nuzzling and sniffing at Litten as it barked curiously at it. "Oh, wow. Ok then. Where is it?" the blonde asked. The younger boy pointed to the elevator on the left of the front help desk. "It's on the fifth floor, the room number is on the keys. Let's go check it out!" he explained.  
  
The boys and their pokémon shuffled onto the elevator, Zorua and Litten hopping around and playing with each other during the ride up. Once they were stopped, it didn't take long for them to find their room. Hau unlocked the door, and stepping inside, they were caught in awe of the pretty sights of the hotel once again. It was a much bigger room than their old one, and it did indeed hold 2 beds. On the back wall there was a balcony with the most fetching view of the ocean and the beach. They breathed heavily in admiration of the sight that beheld them.  
  
Litten and Zorua pranced inside without hesitation, bounding about and taking in the view as well. Litten jumped on to the bed, sticking it's tongue out to tease the baby pokémon who leaned up against the bed to reach it. Hau grinned, pulling out his pokéballs from his backpack. "Let's see what everyone else thinks, come on out, you guys!" he called, tossing the balls into the air as several lights went off to release the unsuspecting pokémon. Gladion closed the door behind him, before doing much the same with his own.   
  
It was incredibly spacious, and it was hardly difficult for Null to move around. Noibat and Zubat glided around the room, screeching curiously and briefly indulging in the view from the balcony. Pichu hopped up onto the bed with Null's help, alongside Zorua. Pichu and Zorua jumped up and down excitedly on the bouncy bed, and Litten hissed in annoyance, using it's claws to clutch onto the sheets. Crabrawler shuffled around on the floor, making it's way out to the balcony where the two bat pokémon were perched on the railing together now.  
  
As for Rockruff, it was merely keeping it's distance from the others as it carefully sniffed the room. It still seemed incredibly timid and cautious, and the boys were careful to keep away from it to let it explore. Hau hopped onto the other bed, still empty of any moving creatures. Null was sat in between the beds, watching the children as best it could. Gladion pulled down his hood, smiling brightly as he turned his head to look at Hau, "I think they like it." Hau nodded, "Perfect! It's great that there's so much room in here for Null, too."  
  
"I  _was_ a little nervous about that," Gladion admitted, petting Null who nuzzled his hand lovingly. Eventually, Crabrawler shuffled back inside, approaching Rockruff who growled defensively. Gladion's eyes grew wide and his brows raised, he was about to step forward, when he felt Null nudge his thigh to get his attention. Null used it's head to signal the blonde to look closer at the Crabrawler's claw. As he did, the Crabrawler slowly held it up, showing the Rockruff something that was shining with a fetching glint.  
  
Slowly, it eased up it's defensive approach, slowly approaching it and sniffing at the object. Suddenly it calmed down, and took a step back as it stared at the object curiously. As the older boy leaned in closer, he saw it was a strangely shaped scale that looked like a heart. Slowly, Gladion approached, careful to alert to the pokémon to his presence beforehand. Rockruff stepped back as the blonde took the scale from Crabrawler and observed it curiously. "It's...a scale?" he stated, still unsure if that was even correct.  
  
Hau stood up, gently taking it and squinting his eyes at it. "Hmmm...I donno. Looks like. I'll hold onto it for now. Cool find, Crabrawler," Hau praised, putting the scale into his backpack. "Alright guys, gather up! We're gonna head back out! We'll come back later," Hau called, calling back all his pokémon again as Gladion did the same. Once again, the baby pokémon and the snotty feline were left out of their balls. Gladion picked the small fox up, not wanting it to attempt to jump off the bed itself, as Litten jumped down with ease.  
  
Gladion put his hood back up, and they departed back downstairs and outside. The road that lead towards the entrance was centered with an eye-catching fountain they saw upon exiting. Truly, it seemed this hotel had endless breath-taking sights. The boys followed the road, leading them into the small city. Looking to their right, they saw that the Ferry Station was not all that far from them. Without even needing to ask Gladion, Hau grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the left, away from the station and all the obvious white suits that lurked around it.  
  
"L-Let's go  _this_ way, Hanini. It's not like we need new clothes or anything," he chuckled, sweating a bit. Gladion stared at him, surprised, for a moment. Slowly, he smiled, nodding and following Hau towards the Pokémon Center that was just next to them. "Oh yeah, I have to make you some more tea later, I totally forgot to do it this morning!" Hau sighed, rubbing the back of his head. Gladion shook his head, "I-It's alright. I've got Zorua here with me, so I should be fine for now. But, thanks...I do like your tea, after all."  
  
Hau blushed, before smiling at him and heading inside the Pokémon Center with him. As Hau headed towards the shop to buy some more medicines, Gladion took Litten and Zorua to the café. He had noticed this particular café had a special with galettes that day. They were a treat he remembered his mother constantly ordered from her home region in Kalos. It was a sweet delicacy, and one of Gladion's favorites growing up. His Cleffy wasn't as fond of them, but he remembered Lillie's Lillipup loved them so.   
  
Placing his Zorua on the table as Litten hopped up beside it, he place down their galettes as he sat down to eat his own. The two pokémon sniffed at the treats before taking experimental bites. Zorua's eyes lit up as hearts sparkled in it's pupils, before digging messily into the delicious sweet. Litten ate more delicately, but it too, expressed restrained joy at the taste. Gladion smiled in amusement, continuing to eat his own quietly. Hau caught up to them just as Zorua finished tearing into it's snack, and Litten was halfway through their's.  
  
"I've never seen those before. What are they?" Hau asked, leaning in curiously. "O-Oh, these are galettes. They're usually made in Kalos. They were having a special and I thought I'd let them try it. It's...one of my favorites," he admitted, blushing a bit. Hau's eyes lit up, and even Litten could see the gears turning in his head. He grinned, "Well then, I guess I'll have to learn how to make 'em!" The blonde's face turned red, pouting as he tugged on the strings of his hoodie. "Y-You don't have to do that, don't be ridiculous!" he pouted.  
  
"Awww, don't be so embarrassed, Hanini! Besides, I wanna learn how to cook anyways," he explained. Gladion sighed in exhaustion. He made a point of finishing his galette as Litten finished their's. He stood up, cleaning up the mess his Zorua left behind as Litten jumped back down to it's master's feet. Tossing the napkins he used to clean up, Gladion picked Zorua back up and headed back out the door with Hau. As they kept on walking, they stopped as they happened upon a precarious looking white and gray building with a large satellite out front.  
  
Over the front door, there was a large plaque displaying the words, "Heahea Dimension Research Laboratories". Hau looked to Gladion excitedly, "Hanini! I think this is the place Kukui told us about! Wanna go see if he's here yet?" Gladion pouted at him again. "Hau, we just got here. And I'm pretty sure not even  _Moon_ is here yet," he reminded the younger boy. "Yeah, but I bet Burnet's here! C'mon, pleeeaaassseee?" he begged, pulling out his best puppy dog eyes. Gladion tried to remain firm, but his stern look melted into a sheepish attempt not to give him pity.  
  
"... _Fine_ , but  _don't_ touch anything. Laboratories like this have a  _lot_ of sensitive equipment. You can't just start bouncing around like a maniac," he ordered. Hau nodded, pulling Gladion inside eagerly. Litten just trotted along, mewing up at the Zorua who in turn barked back at it in reply. Once they entered the facility, the colors and sights rubbed Gladion  _all_ the wrong ways. Growing up in the large, colorless, and cold environment for so long left him hating the blank color. Sometimes, it made him find the color black all the more appealing to him.  
  
A polar opposite to his greatest distaste. Perhaps that is also what had him so drawn to Zorua's egg. Yes, he had definitely become more privy to dark colors due to this psychological correlation. This included Hau. Strangely, where others thought darkness was frightening, he found it comforting. Null too, shared in this sentiment. Having been constantly blinded in white lights, strapped to cold and colorless tables, and locked away in white rooms for the majority of it's life. All the colorful sights it had taken in thus far were much more appealing.  
  
The older boy had become mentally occupied with not letting his guard down, while also not standing out like a sore thumb. Hau had already approached the front desk, asking the worker if Burnet was present. Gladion was pulled back to his surroundings when Hau tugged on his wrist again. Zorua noticed his unease, and communicated this to the Litten. Their conversation took a curious turn, as the boys entered an elevator with them and rode up to the top floor. Once they reached it, they stepped out only to be approached uncomfortably by a woman in white.  
  
"Hey, we don't have any scheduled tours today. Who are you?"  
  
"S-Sorry ma'am! I'm a trial-goer, and my friend and I are here to see Professor Burnet. We heard she works here."  
  
"Mrs Kukui, you mean? She's in her office, over there."  
  
The woman pointed, and the boys noticed the door that was labelled on the window with the words "Professor Burnet, Head Researcher". As they quietly began making their way for the office, Hau got distracted with the giant array of monitors and machines. "Wow! Hanini, look! It's so cool!" he squeaked, reaching to touch one of the buttons on one of the machines. This earned a smack against his shoulder and a hard sneer as the older boy glared down at him, "Hau! What'd I say? You can't screw around in here."  
  
Hau rubbed his shoulder and chuckled nervously. "S-Sorry, Hanini," he apologized, turning to look at a bookshelf on the side. As his distracted companion began flipping through one of the historical books, the blonde looked around the lab. Once again, his eyes landed on the door to Burnet's office, and he gripped the strap of his bag tightly. He turned away from Hau, hiding his darkened face. "Actually, you can do some exploring. I'm gonna go talk to her. I uh...wanna show her Zorua," he said quietly.  
  
Hau was none the wiser, much to his Litten's annoyance as it pouted up at him. "Ok, sure! I'll be right there!" Hau said, waving his hand at Gladion, his back still turned. Slowly, the blonde swallowed and stepped into the office. Burnet was hunched over her desk, filling out some paperwork as she squiggled her signature on the bottom of it. Gladion cleared his throat to get her attention, and she raised her head in surprise. "Oh! H-Hello there! You're...that trainer that was with Hau," she observed aloud.  
  
Gladion nodded, approaching her desk, his Zorua still in his arms. "I...came to let you know the egg you gave me hatched. It's a Zorua. He's doing really well. He imprinted on me when he was born..." he explained, looking down at the baby in his arms. Zorua barked in confirmation of this, and Burnet giggled as she cooed at it. "Ohhh, how cute! I'm glad to hear you're taking good care of it!" she praised. She looked around, suddenly noticing Hau's absence. "Is...he with you?" she asked, seeming surprised that the blonde was here by himself.  
  
Gladion nodded, looking towards the open entrance that lead to the main lab. "He's...busy, right now. I wanted to talk to you," he admitted, turning to look at her again. She raised a brow at this, "What is it, err...Hanini, right?" Gladion shook his head as a solemn look crossed his face. "No..." he stated, before pulling down his hood to reveal himself. Burnet gasped as her eyes grew wide with recognition. She stood up, instantly approaching the boy and looking him up and down. "Oh...goodness, you...you've gotten so tall. I can't believe I didn't recognize you."  
  
"...That's good. It means my disguise is working."  
  
" _Disguise_? Wait a minute...is that why you didn't tell me before? Are you hiding?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Gladion...does your mother know where you are?"  
  
"...I hope she doesn't."  
  
Burnet's heart sank. Her mind winded back to years before. Before she had met Kukui and decided to pursue her own research, she worked closely underneath Lusamine with Wicke and Faba. She was there for so long, almost as long as Wicke was. She was there for Lusamine at her wedding, when her children were born. When her husband tragically died in a horrible accident. An accident she couldn't help but feel responsible for. All these years, and she still blamed herself. It was her screw-up, after all. Her mistake.  
  
Like Wicke and Lusamine, she was there when it had happened. They were just trying to open up a portal to Ultra Space. They had a DNA sample from one of the creatures of this realm, and it seemed like everything was going just fine. But Burnet made a grave miscalculation. She had meant to set coordinates to a non-hostile area. But instead, she had opened up the flood-gates to a horrifying creature. It was so huge, and they had no pokémon on them to speak of. They weren't anticipating something like  _that_.  
  
It was horrifying, and absolutely disgusting and horrid looking. It couldn't fit through the portal, but it's arms could. It smashed at everything, the equipment, the workers, even the very foundation of the room. Eventually, it tried to grab Lusamine, but Mohn had pushed her out of the way. It was absolutely horrifying to witness. The creature had such a gaping maw. Burnet, like many of the scientists in the room that day, still had nightmares about it to this very day. And it was all her fault.  
  
But she never had the heart, nor the courage to tell the children a single word of it. Kukui had offered her much encouragement and reassurance. He tried hard to convince her she was innocent, that it was out of her control. She appreciated the effort, but she didn't think she'd ever believe such a thing. And she stuck around long enough to witness a taste of Lusamine's madness. It wasn't until 3 years after Mohn had died that she turned in her resignation and moved onto Melemele Island to live with her newly-wed husband.   
  
She thought about the children every day for years, and while she suspected neglect, she never witnessed close enough as Wicke did to have a good enough case. It ate away at her for so long now. It had been so much longer since she had last thought about them. Her work and her relationship had given her the luxury of letting it slip her mind. Hearing Gladion say this, seeing him here in front of her like this, she could only imagine how afraid he was. But it only brought up more questions, questions she didn't hesitate to ask herself.  
  
"Oh, Gladion...I'm so sorry I could never help you or Lillie. I-Is she doing alright?"  
  
"Doesn't seem like it...I didn't even know where she was until a couple days ago."  
  
"Huh? You mean when you left you didn't take her with you?"  
  
"It's complicated...she's with the Skull Gang right now."  
  
Burnet brought a hand up to her face as she gasped, "The  _Skull Gang_? She's been taken  _hostage_  by them?"  
  
Gladion's face went dark again, "Much worse...she's affiliated herself with them. She  _works_ for them, now."  
  
"Say it isn't so, Gladion! This is  _Lillie_ we're talking about here! S-Surely you're mistaken...!"  
  
Something about the professor's concern set off something in Gladion. He couldn't help himself, and he snapped. "Don't pretend like you  _care_! You said it yourself, you never helped us! I've made mistakes, but I don't blame Lillie for what she chose. It's all  _my_ fault she got caught up with them. But you don't know  _anything_. You don't know a  _damn_ thing about us. And you certainly don't know  _anything_ about  _me_." Burnet rubbed her arm nervously, as her guilt from so many years prior came sinking back into her head.  
  
He was completely right. She  _was_ useless. She  _didn't_ know them. But her memory of them was so sacred and pure, she just could never believe something so shocking. Sure, Lillie was a pretty quiet and introverted girl, but this was just too much. Wasn't she innocent and kind? Didn't she love her brother unconditionally? She thought when she left that at least they would have each other. Now they were all completely torn apart? This just couldn't be happening. Once again, that dreaded, unrelenting, repeating thought creeped right back into her head.  
  
_It's all_ ** _your_** _fault!_  
  
"I-I...I'm sorry, Gladion. I just...this is so hard to believe."  
  
"...It helps when you're the one living a nightmarish game of hide-and-seek."  
  
"Is...she looking for you? Gladion, that means she's worried about you! You can go home and-"  
  
"That's  _not_ why she wants to see me. I stole something from her."  
  
"Stole? Like, what? Money?"  
  
Gladion shook his head, putting Zorua down and pulling out his Luxury Ball to show her. "Do you...remember anything about a project called Type:Full?" he asked. Her brows raised again, "I...I thought that was just a rumor. I wasn't on the project, but just before I left I heard they were doing experiments to  _create_ a pokémon." He put the ball back into his bag, shaking his head. He looked down sadly, and she could see the suffering he had endured on his face. "Not pokémon...killing machines. They made 3 of them. But I only made it out with 1. She's hunting me for it..."  
  
"But...I-I don't get it. Why did you take it?" she said, running a hand through her hair as she tried to process all this. "Because they were  _torturing_ them! I couldn't leave them there,  _knowing_  what she was  _doing_ to them. But during our escape, we were found out. She knows I'm on one of these islands with one of her 'Precious Beast Killers'," he explained. Burnet stared at him quietly for a long moment. So, he had escaped, and he most definitely ended up on Melemele somehow. That explained why he was with Hau, why she saw them together at the Malasada Shop.  
  
But, not one  _other_ thing...  
  
"So, why are you traveling with Hau?"  
  
The question had him immediately silent. Burnet saw the uncertainty stamped on his face and blinked as she waited for him to respond. For some reason, he struggled to remember the answer. At some point, he was sure it some kind of condition. Wasn't it? Now it just seemed like the natural thing to do. He shook his head. Of course he was traveling with Hau, what else was he to do? His mother had him trapped here, after all. Was he meant to sit and squirm on Melemele for the rest of his life? That was preposterous! But, still...did he _truly_ need to stay with him?  
  
No...he didn't. But he didn't want to leave his side, either. Nobody had ever called him a friend before. Nobody had ever given him this attention. He felt safe and protected, a warm feeling he hadn't felt in so very long. And vice versa, he never felt so certain he had to protect someone. Like he had to look out for them. They were polar opposites by all accounts, but they were now joint at the hip. Willingly or not, they needed each other. They became integral to each other's survival. Just like the need to eat, sleep, or breathe.  
  
"Why do you care?" he spat defensively.  
  
"I-It's just that...well, he's teaching you how to be a trainer. If you're hiding from your mother, whyever do you need to learn how to train pokémon?"  
  
"...I've been thinking, it might be a good living when I leave Alola."  
  
"Gladion...! You're planning on  _leaving_?"  
  
"That  _was_ the plan...but like I told you, Lusamine has me pinned against my back here."  
  
The statement caught her off-guard. She couldn't remember the last time he had referred to his own mother that way. It seemed like such a strange, insignificant detail to be concerned about. But, a part of her couldn't help it, "Lusamine?" Gladion turned his glare up at her.  _Is she **that** naive? _he wondered. "That's who we've been talking about," he said, glaring at her hard to express his lack of amusement. She blushed a bit.  _Oh, dear, that did **not** come out right _she thought, flustered.  
  
"No, just...I'm used to you calling her 'mother'."  
  
He scowled even harder, "She's  _not_ my mother. She's a  _monster_."  
  
"Gladion, she...she's  _grieving_ -"  
  
That was the straw that broke the Camerupt's back for Gladion. All his life, growing up, that's all he heard over and over and over again.  _She's just tired, she's just upset, she's just going through a hard time right now._ All these excuses, the same repeated,  _ridiculous_ excuses! How  _dare_ she? How  _dare_ she try to justify this woman's actions?! She dares, to question his intelligence? She dares, to  _defend_ the very monster that drove them away in the first place? She  _dares_ , to pretend like she  _cares_ about them?  
  
Once again, he snapped. He never felt more angry in his entire life. More  _offended_. She didn't understand anything, she was just an outsider. How could she possibly even  _begin_ to comprehend his position? Well he wouldn't have it. She was wrong, they were  _all_ wrong! His mother wasn't suffering, she was just insane. She was just a monster in human skin. Maybe at one point, he  _was_ willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. He wanted so desperately to believe this sentiment, even now. But...  
  
_"You're not **my** child."_  
  
"That's all  _anyone_ ever has to say, isn't it?! That she's  _sad_. Well guess what, so am I! So is  _Lillie_! I'm tired of you all excusing her behavior just because dad is  _dead_!"  
  
"N-No! That's not what I-"  
  
"Then  _what_ , Burnet?! You gonna tell me that she'll come around? That she'll learn from her mistakes?!"  
  
"Gladion, please, calm down!"  
  
"I would if I could, Burnet, but unfortunately, she's got me  _constantly_ horrified that one of her lackeys will find me or find out about Hau! I have  _barely_ had a moment's rest since I got to Melemele Island! The only reason I'm even  _sane_ right now is because of  _him_! And unlike  _you_ , he actually  _understands_ what I've been through! So excuse me, if I'm not happy, when you tell me that I should be more considerate of a woman who has put me through  _hell_!"  
  
She stared at him wide-eyed and completely shocked. She hadn't meant to escalate this like this so fast. Then, she suddenly realized something. Her eyes darted back and forth as the gears began to turn in her head. How foolish of her, to presume the severity of this, was it not? She had no idea what had been said. What had been  _done_.  _No...no, she...she didn't, she would never...!_ Burnet tried to reason desperately. But it was the only explanation. Still, she had to hear it herself.  
  
"Gladion, w-what are you talking about? What did she do?"  
  
"She took Cleffy away from me! She kept me and my sister locked up in our own home like wild pokémon! SHE  _BROKE_ MY-!"  
  
His eyes went wide and he stopped himself. His scowling, darkened face, turned into a horrified look as he grabbed his left wrist. He took a step back, training his eyes downward frantically. Burnet stared at him, putting a hand over her mouth. There was nothing left to hear. Nothing left to confirm. Burnet truly didn't have a clue how bad things had gotten. Guilt washed over her like a tsunami as she brought her hands down. She reached out to him, but he flinched back and glared at her again in disgust.  
  
She put it down, taking a step back from him. "I'm...I'm sorry, Gladion. You didn't deserve that. You don't deserve  _this_. You were right...I should've done more. And I have  _no_ right to judge you like this. And I know I also have no right to ask anything of you at this point, but..." she stopped, looking down sadly. Zorua nudged against it's master's ankle, prompting him to calm down. He sighed, kneeling down and petting it gently. He whispered apologetically, "S-Sorry, buddy. I didn't mean to scare you..."  
  
It whimpered, seeming worried for it's parent trainer's condition. Carefully, the blonde picked the small pokémon back up as he stood up. He took a deep breath, before hesitantly turning to look at Burnet again. "...What is it?" he asked. She seemed surprised, but didn't waste his time waiting to hear her favor. "I just...want you to re-consider leaving Alola. It seems like you and Hau get along so well, and I...I just don't want you to sacrifice something special because you're afraid of her."  
  
The question was actually a lot more hard to process than he thought it'd be. After all, he had already become much more fond of Hau. But he knew he had to keep his distance for safety purposes. Despite wanting to be so much closer to the younger boy, he knew it was too risky. His mother was relentless and ruthless. He had already decided a long time ago, Hau's safety came first. Any desire Gladion had beyond that meant nothing. Still, it was hard to resist.   
  
If he didn't leave eventually, Hau would just continue to be at risk. That's when he remembered Hala's offer. He started to wonder...was it a viable option after all? Surely he could trust the Kahuna if  _he_ thought so. Then again, the Kahuna didn't know the reach of his mother's vicious claws. His fear of her had stopped being independent, now he feared what she would do to anyone who  _dared_ to help him. And it was absolute  _hell_. His heart was covered in a thick darkness, and the only light that illuminated it all away was Hau.  
  
"...I'll...I'll think about it."  
  
She smiled sadly, returning to her seat behind her desk. "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to let me know. I'm going to do my best to help you out from here on out," she insisted, going back to her paperwork quietly. Gladion nodded quietly, pulling his hood back up before he went back outside the office. Hau was closer to the door now, but clearly he hadn't heard any of the yelling. He noticed Gladion's dark expression and gave him a worried look.  
  
"Hanini? Is everything ok?"  
  
"I'm...I'm fine. Can we go back to the hotel now? I'm tired."  
  
"What about Burnet?"  
  
"She's...busy, right now. We should come back some other time."  
  
"Oh...o-ok then."  
  
Zorua had already begun telling Litten the real story, as the boys ignored them both and boarded the elevator again. Hau already suspecting that he was lying, but he didn't want to push things. And after his slip-up earlier on the Mantine, he unconsciously reverted into his usual shy and guilty schpiel. Litten just seemed to become more and more intrigued by the Zorua's recount of events. Surely, they would both have quite the tale to tell everyone once they got back to their room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _  
> **Triggered Gladion intensifies**  
>  _
> 
>  
> 
> Also, welcome to my newest headcanon. Gladion's PTSD makes him privy to the color black due to the consistent _lack_ of color in his childhood home. And before you say it, he just wears all that white _now_ so he doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.


	26. Chapter 25 - The More The Merrier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion and Hau begin their journey up towards Lana's trial, however, along the way they are sidetracked by a couple of obstacles.

It was a relatively quiet morning. The boys didn't make the same mistake twice the night before. Gladion simply brushed off his earlier down-troddenness as exhaustion. While Hau had his suspicions of course, he obliged this explanation. They were quick about gathering up their pokémon and getting outside. Just as Hau was eager to set off on Route 4, the blonde, too, was eager to accompany him to take his mind off of things. However, and unexpected surprise awaited them in the lobby.  
  
Oblivious to this fact, they had already begun conversating about their plans for the day.  
  
"We might be able to make it to the first trial grounds if we don't stay in Paniola Town for too long," Hau explained, holding a map of the island in his hands. Gladion looked over the map, noticing a precariously closed-off area on Route 4. "What's that? It doesn't have a name on it..." he asked. Hau noticed this quickly, and raised a brow, "Huh...you're right. I guess we could go check it out. We should have plenty of time."  
  
"Do you know what kind of trial it's going to be?"  
  
"It says on the brochure the first one is a Water-Type trial. So I'll be using my Pichu for this one."  
  
"Oh, ok. Is there a Pokémon Center nearby? Since...I can't go inside those things."  
  
"O-Oh...that's right. Lemme see..."  
  
Hau looked over the map again, smiling as he spotted an incredibly conveniently placed Pokémon Center. "Here's one!" he said, pointing to it. Quickly, he frowned worriedly, however, "But, are you  _sure_ you'll be alright? I know you get scared when you're by yourself..." Gladion had to admit to himself that he wasn't too privy to letting Hau leave him on his own. However, now he had his pokémon companions to keep him calm. Besides that, he also had Hau's tea with him. And even now, it worked wonders.  
  
"I'll be fine. I promise. I have Zorua and the others to keep me company. Besides, it seems like the Aether Foundation doesn't have any stations up that way. So we should be safe," he assured. Hau nodded, as the boys stepped off the elevator, they made their way towards the front door. "I wonder if anybody  _here_ will recognize me. I don't  _think_ tutu ever talked to the Trial Captains on the other islands," Hau pondered. Gladion sighed heavily, "I seriously hope not, the attention is gonna get exhausting..."  
  
Their conversation was cut short when a familiar and sassy voice came up behind them. "Well well well, look who made it after all!" she chimed, her Rotom already darting off to take pictures of the pokémon that littered the lobby. They turned to look at her, surprised. The boys smiled, both glad to see their friend. "Moon!" they greeted in unison. They didn't really register their simultaneous behavior this time, too distracted by the shock of seeing her again.  
  
"I should be shocked to see  _you_ , you know. How did you guys get here anyways? I  _know_ you didn't stowaway on my ferry," she said, giving them a suspecting look. "Oh! We we took a more...faster, route, I guess. There's travel service called Mantine Surfing. You can get here pretty quick that way!" Moon pouted and crossed her arms, "Aw man! That sounds so cool! I wish I knew about that  _before_!" Gladion's smile faded into a frown as he sweat a bit, "It's...not all it's cracked up to be, honestly."  
  
Moon giggled, "Awww, were you constantly falling off your Mantine?" The older boy's face turned red, and he tugged on the strings of his hoodie to hide his face. She giggled, turning to look at Hau. "Well, at least you guys made it! You heading up to your first trial today?" Hau nodded, "Yeah! We're hoping to make it there by noon. What about you?" Moon nodded, "Well then, I'll catch up with you boys later. I'm gonna take a look around. I got here late last night so I kinda just crashed at the Ferry Station."  
  
She waved, heading off to go collect Rotom as her Popplio waddled behind her. Zorua and Litten began chattering away again as the boys exited the lobby. Tucking the map away in his backpack, Hau grabbed Gladion's hand as he guided him along towards Route 4. As they approached the first patch of taller grass, Gladion took a deep breath. The younger boy waited patiently, not moving further until his companion nodded. Miraculously, they made it through the thick with no issue.  
  
Still, there was more to be found up ahead, as reached a slope going upward. Zorua and Litten both were treading carefully ahead of their masters, both ready to defend them from any sudden danger. And as fate would have it, just a couple steps into the precarious patch. A puffy, round pokémon came bouncing and floating about with a gleeful, "Iggly!" It's bulbous red eyes stared hard at it's opponents, as it's strangely puffy tuft of hair flailed about in the wind it was caught in.  
  
Litten immediately jumped into action, attempting to Scratch the tiny pokémon. Flawlessly, it dodged. Gladion raised a brow, "What is that? It...looks kind of like a Cleffa." Hau pondered for a moment, "Hmm...no idea. But it's probably a Fairy-Type like Cleffas are. But I don't have anything that's all that much stronger than Fairy-Types." Gladion began to sweat again, "Me neither, I think..." Before he could think of a strategy, the tiny pokémon began to sing softly in it's tiny voice.   
  
"Igglybuff~ Iggly~ Lyyy~"  
  
Slowly, the two pokémon were lulled to sleep. Their eyes fluttered shut, and they slumped over. They were utterly dead to the world around them. The boys cried out in shock, as they quickly called back their fallen pokémon to keep them safe. Hau pulled out one of his other pokéballs, "Pichu, help us out!" As it spun into the air, it opened up, releasing the Pichu in a beam of light. It shook it's fur, eager to stretch it's legs in battle once again. "Pi pi!" it cried, confidently.  
  
"Pichu, Thunder Shock!"  
  
The cutesy pokémon cried out in pain as a bolt of lightning came down upon it. It twitched, static waves flickering around it's body. Hau pumped his fist as he smiled in silent elation. "Alright, it worked! Hit it again!" Hau ordered. Pichu's cheeks lit up with static as it unleashed yet another bolt of lightning on the helpless puff. It was covered in only a few scratches, so it was most certainly stronger than it looked. Gladion took the opportunity to heal his fallen pokémon as Hau continued his onslaught.  
  
Taking out a spray bottle with a clear-looking liquid, he sprayed at the Zorua's face. Slowly, it regained consciousness. Staring up at it's parent trainer, it wagged it's tail, hopping back up to it's feet excitedly as it wagged it's tail. Gladion smiled, before scooping it up cautiously and cradling it. As he turned his attention back to the battle, he noticed that Pichu had procured a couple of significant bruises. Had the pokémon powered through it's paralysis?  
  
It was definitely stronger than Pichu, though it looked far more beat up than Pichu did. Hau was pouting now, "Gee, you sure are tough for such a small thing. But it looks like you're out of luck." Pichu and Hau shared a glance before nodding at each other. It didn't even have to wait for Hau to say it before it already knew what it's master would ask of it. "Finish it off, Pichu!" Hau shouted. One last time, Pichu brought down a harsh bolt of lightning that knocked the tiny pokémon out instantly.  
  
Pichu grinned, chirping happily at it's victory. Zorua too, chittered in excitement. Just as Hau was about to call his Litten back out for treatment, a bright glow emitted from his Pichu. Both boys stared in awe, as Pichu looked over itself curiously and blinked. "Pi?" it muttered. Slowly, the light consumed it completely and the boys's jaws began to drop. It's shape began to morph, growing chubbier and twice it's previous size. It's gargantuan ears thinned out, and it's tiny tail extended and bent a bit more into the shape of a proper lightning bolt.  
  
As the light faded, it's newest form was in full view. It turned around to look at it's trainer, as it's ears twitched curiously. It's linen fur had now darkened to a more lemony color. It's pink cheeks had heated into a bright red, and the black marking along it's neck was now no more. Along it's back were a few brown stripes, and the bottom part of it's tail was tipped with the same color. It's once stubby hands now had a full set of 10 fingers, thumbs included. It stared up at the boys with the same, beady, brown eyes.  
  
"Pika?"  
  
Slowly, Hau's eyes grew wide, just before he beamed with a wide grin. "Pichu! You evolved! Heck yeah!" he cheered. The mouse pokémon smiled eagerly, hopping into it's trainer's arms as it cheered alongside him, "Pikachu~!" Gladion stared, as Zorua's tail wagged even faster now. "So, this is the pokémon you were talking about before. I guess I can see what you mean," he said. Hau gently put Pikachu down, turning to look at Gladion eagerly, "Yeah, they're pretty cool. I'm pretty excited to see it become a Raichu someday."  
  
"That's probably going to take a while..."  
  
"Well, actually, Pikachu don't evolve on their own. You have to use a special stone called the Thunder Stone."  
  
"Wait...you mean like Eevees?"  
  
Hau nodded, "Yeah. Though, usually people like to train them up first anyways. Usually when it evolves under a special circumstance, it doesn't learn anything new when it's evolved. So you gotta be extra careful about it." The older boy looked down at his Zorua. He wondered if it needed such a circumstance. After all, he hadn't bothered to ask Burnet and neither of  _them_ knew anything about it in particular. Perhaps it would become more obvious with time.  
  
Hau bent down, feeding Pikachu a berry as he called back his Litten. He turned to Gladion, who quickly handed him one of the other waking potions he had stored in his bag to the younger boy. Litten woke up with a slight hiss, displeased at the wetness that greeted it's sleeping face. It glared up at it's master grumpily, before standing up and shaking the wetness off itself. It's eyes nearly burst out of it's head, however, upon seeing it's battle partner's newest form.  
  
Pikachu smiled happily, taking a break from munching on it's berry. "Pikachu!" it chirped again. Litten mewed and sniffed at it curiously, before it finally seemed to be satisfied with the new change. Deep down, though, it began to itch for something much the same for itself. After all, it had already gone through a Grand Trial. It was starting to get antsy. As Pikachu finished snacking on it's berry, it's wounds healed. It smiled up at Hau, as it was called back into it's pokéball to rest up.   
  
Carefully stepping over the still unconscious pink pokémon, the boys headed forward again. As they reached an area that split up into two paths from a mossy formation, they noticed a third path off to the side. The sign was dusty and worn out but Hau could read it clearly, "Pikachu Valley?" The blonde raised a brow, "Well that sure seems like convenient timing. It looks like nobody's really been around here for a while. Think it used to be some kind of attraction?"  
  
"I'm...not...sure," Hau admitted, gently grabbing Gladion's hand again. "C'mon, let's go check it out. It can't hurt to look around a  _little_ bit." Gladion nodded, following the younger boy inside as he kept a tight hold on his pokémon. As they stepped inside, they were met with quite the breath-taking sight. It was a lovely plain, with a river separating from most of the gorgeous view. A small waterfall poured down into it, and the entire area was littered with the same face of the chubby mouse pokémon.  
  
They all turned and stared at the new visitors curiously. However, the blonde didn't notice the unsettling gaze, as his eyes fell upon a precarious looking yellow trailer off to the side. It much resembled the pokémon, even having prop ears attached to the roof of it. The door was wide open, but it was difficult to see inside the dark interior. Suddenly, they were approached by a dark-skinned woman wearing a bright blue shirt. It had a design resembling Hau's amulet across the front, which made Hau blink curiously.  
  
"Hey...you're a Trial Guide. What're you doing in here?"  
  
"I should ask you the same thing, Trial-Goer."  
  
"O-Oh, we didn't mean to disturb anything. We thought this was an attraction or something. Th-there's a sign outside."  
  
"Oh, right, that old thing. Paul should really get that replaced. Well, it's nice to see new faces!"  
  
Hau nodded, "Thanks! So what is this place, exactly?" The woman smiled, turning and gesturing to the area as a whole. "This here is Pikachu Valley! It's a pretty quiet and secluded place, as you can see. What's so special about it, is that it's a nesting ground  _full_ of Pikachu. Not too many other pokémon are seen hanging around here." Hau's eyes sparkled with wonder. Pulling out his Pikachu's pokéball, he called it out eagerly. "Come on out here, buddy! You gotta see this!"  
  
As Hau's Pikachu appeared, it rubbed at it's eyes before looking around curiously. It seemed surprised at the sudden sight of it's people. Slowly, it was approached by a few of the other Pikachu who sniffed at it curiously. Hau's Pikachu stood still, not wanting to startle them. Finally, after a few minutes, it's ear twitched. "Pika? Pika pika, pikachu?" it said, still seeming confused and curious. And thus began the circle of "Pika pikas" and "Pikachus" as they communicated with each other.  
  
Occasionally, they bumped cheeks, or touched their tails together. Hau recognized this already as a means of Pikachu communicating with one another. Similarly, Pichu and Raichu often performed the same behaviors. It seemed to be a unique trait amongst pokémon that were like them. Another person approached from where the trailer sat, wearing a similar shirt to the woman's and sporting a baseball cap with the same logo that was on his shirt.  
  
"Alola, kids! So you've got your own Pikachu, I see," he greeted. Hau nodded, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he chuckled shyly. "Yeah, he actually just evolved before we got here. It's been a pretty insane morning," he admitted. Then, he suddenly remembered the trailer and it's strangely dark interior. He looked up at the man curiously. "H-Hey, if you don't mind me asking...what's in that trailer over there?" The man just smiled, gesturing for them to step closer.  
  
"Come see for yourself, m'boy."  
  
Hesitantly, the boys inched closer to the trailer. Strangely, the darkness of it's inside didn't get less blaring as they came within inches of the doorstep. Their grip on each other had already tightened from shared, unspoken anxiety. As Hau took a step closer, inching himself ahead of the older boy cautiously, a Pikachu dashed out the door and jumped past him. He stumbled back, shouting in surprise. Instinctively, Gladion quickly grabbed Hau and tried to keep him from falling.  
  
Once again, however, he just came down alongside him. They were both left on the ground, bewildered and blinking in pure confusion. How sudden it was, they almost didn't register what happened. Almost. Gladion quickly jumped to check Hau for any injuries, as Zorua barked in excitement and confusion. "Hau, are you ok? Your head wasn't hit, was it?" Hau raised his hands up, waving them frantically as he blushed. "No, I-I'm fine! Really! Sorry about that, I wasn't expecting it."  
  
"It's ok. Me either. What on Earth was that?" Gladion pondered, helping his companion back onto his feet after he was satisfied he suffered no serious damage. Quickly pulling his fallen hoodie back up, he let go of Hau and allowed him to try again on his own this time to enter the trailer. However, this time,  _3_ Pikachus came barreling out of the trailer. While Hau wasn't nearly startled enough to fall back onto the ground again, he did jump in surprise. The man chuckled from behind them.  
  
"There's quite a lot of Pikachus in there! They're all real mischievous little fellas. I think you could do this for hours and it still wouldn't be empty!" Hau chuckled in amusement, his previous anxiety now settled from the silliness of it. Suddenly, Hau's Pikachu approached again and began tugging on his shorts. It pointed towards a group of waving Pikachus and Hau raised a curious brow, "You...want to introduce me to them?" Pikachu nodded turning to look at Litten and Zorua as well, "Pikachu! Pika, pika pika pi!"  
  
Litten's tail swayed as it mewed back in response, and Zorua barked excitedly. Zorua dashed head, as Litten strut behind Pikachu patiently as it lead them all towards it's new friends. Gladion was about to follow them all, when he caught something out of the corner of his eye. He turned to the trailer again, staring curiously. Slowly, he took a step forward. Then, two beaming red lights gleamed from the darkness. For some reason, rather than feeling a sense of unease, the blonde only felt compelled to move closer.  
  
Once again, he inched closer, squinting his eyes at the creature. Slowly, it shuffled forward. While it was hard to see through the darkness, Gladion could tell that while it did  _resemble_ a Pikachu, it was most certainly not one. It was discolored, and it's face looked like a crayon drawing. It looked to be a cloth covered pokémon in a creepy disguise. However, on it's stomach, the glinting red orbs still stared at the older boy, almost longingly. It's head tilted, though it seemed involuntary.  
  
Almost as if it's costume was unstable. It made a cute, low keening noise. Almost like a chirp. It seemed to be trying it's best to imitate a  _real_ Pikachu, but failing miserably. It stared at him, and it almost seemed sad and lonely. Slowly, Gladion brought a hand up and reached out to the creature curiously. Suddenly, however, it inched back shyly and disappeared into the darkness. Gladion's eyes lit up as he was about to step closer again.  
  
"H-Hey, wait-"  
  
"Hey, Hanini!"  
  
The older boy turned to look at the source of the call. He found Hau, a horde of Pikachu at his feet as he waved happily. He was giggling gleefully, as his own Pikachu was perched on his shoulders. "Look, I'm the Pikachu King!" The older boy blinked, still a bit distracted from what he had just witnessed. However, he slowly smiled as he blushed. Something about Hau's free spirit broke him out of his old trance and put him into a new one entirely. Zorua barked in excitement as it's parent trainer approached.  
  
"You having fun over here?"  
  
"Sure am! This place is awesome!"  
  
"Well, I hate to rain on your parade, but we're on a schedule here. I know you'd be sour with me if I didn't keep you in check."  
  
"Oh, shoot! You're totally right!"  
  
Hau gently put his Pikachu down on the ground, "Say goodbye to your friends now, Pikachu. We gotta get going. We can come back here some other time, promise!" Pikachu nodded, communicating it's farewells to the other Pikachu alongside Litten and Zorua. Hau hopped over to where the blonde was waiting, still giggling happily. Suddenly a thought hit him, "Say, what were you doing over there anyways? Still trying to figure out how to get inside?"  
  
"Huh? O-Oh, no. I thought I saw something, but I guess it was just my imagination," he said, waving the question off. Before long, Pikachu, Litten, and Zorua all returned from their farewells to their new friends. Giving his Pikachu a pat on the head, Hau called it back into it's pokéball. Once again, he took the older boy's hand as he waved goodbye to the Trial Guides and the horde of Pikachu. As they left, only Zorua caught it as his master glanced at the trailer one last time before exiting the Valley.  
  
But nobody caught it, as a pair of red, gleaming eyes stared back from the darkness.

 

* * *

  
Zorua pranced enthusiastically alongside Litten, still barking away. The two discussed their impressions of the Valley, as they continued onward on Route 4's pathway. Even as they approached yet another large patch of grass, they continued to chat away. Though, they made sure to pay close attention to their surroundings. Suddenly, a strange bug pokémon pounced up from under Litten and hit it square in it's chin. This knocked it back, and Zorua barked in surprise.  
  
It growled, immediately pouncing to aide it's friend. "Litten!" Hau called out worriedly. Gladion scowled, letting go of Hau's hand as he pointed at the pokémon, "Zorua! Pursuit!" Zorua dashed forward, covering itself in a dark aura as it slammed into the pokémon violently. The pokémon cried out in pain, but quickly shook it off. The older boy sweat a bit at this, knowing Zorua was just a bit weaker than most of the pokémon on this route. For a moment, he considered swapping it out.  
  
Then, Litten jumped back onto it's feet, hissing angrily. Both the boys became much more nervous as they observed the grass in it's fur. As expected, it didn't even wait for an order from Hau as it spit a ball of fire at the pokémon. Thankfully, this seemed to do a desirably amount of damage. However, Zorua began barking at it's battle partner. Surprisingly, this seemed to get through to the Litten as they communicated back and forth. The Litten shook off the grass, growling at the bug pokémon.  
  
Suddenly, the tiny pokémon let out a loud screech. It was no where near as loud as Zubat or Noibat's calls, but still considerably loud. Suddenly, another pokémon just like it popped out of the grass to answer the call. Now it was 2 on 2, and the bug pokémon began communicating a strategy against their opponents. Quickly, the boys jumped on the opportunity to attack as they both called out their orders to their respective pokémon.  
  
"Zorua! Use Pursuit, again!"  
  
"Hit the one on the left with another Ember!"  
  
Zorua darted forward again, as Litten's back arched up and it spat another ball of fire at the new opponent. Zorua knocked into  the other one with harsh force. It was severely scratched up and bruised now, but it was still standing. The stronger of the two opponent pokémon bit into Litten using it's pincers. It cried out in pain, slapping the nuisance off with it's tail. The weaker pokémon spit mud in the Zorua's face, and the Zorua stumbled back in surprise, falling onto it's butt.  
  
It blinked, and then suddenly, it began to sniffle. Litten was caught off-guard by this, and it's whiskers drooped nervously. Then, suddenly, the baby pokémon burst into tears. The sight made Gladion's heart drop, and he was washed over with a sense of guilt. What was he thinking, having Zorua battle like this so soon? He was only born a few days ago! He knew this was a mistake. He stepped forward to comfort it, when surprisingly, Hau stopped him.  
  
"Hau, what're you-"  
  
"Wait. I...I think I know what it's doing."  
  
"What're you talking about?"  
  
"Just look..."  
  
Hesitantly, he looked again. The two bug pokémon chittered nervously, as they seemed to express regret for their actions. Litten stared in disbelief, before suddenly understanding just as his master did. Suddenly, it jumped on the opportunity to attack again. Spitting one last Ember at the weaker bug pokémon, it knocked the troublesome pokémon out completely. It's ally cried out in surprise, and it only became more nervous as Zorua suddenly ceased it's weeping and glared with a mischievous grin.  
  
Gladion stared on in bewilderment. It was...faking it? "What was that...? He's never used that move before," he muttered. Hau nodded, putting his arm down, "It's Fake Tears! It's usually a defense mechanism smaller pokémon use in the wild. It lowers the target's Speed Defense. Looks like he just learned it." The older boy glanced at his Zorua again, before he forced himself to focus again.  _You really are something, buddy..._ he thought, just before he issued his last order.  
  
"Zorua! Scratch it!"  
  
"Litten, finish it off with Ember!"  
  
The two pokémon dashed forward, Zorua's claws extending as Litten hissed and formed another ball of fire. As they double teamed the helpless pokémon, it was knocked down by their blows and rendered unconscious. They both jumped back, puffing out their chests triumphantly. The boys took a deep breath, before smiling and reaching into their bags to treat their pokémon. Carefully, the older boy wiped the mud off of Zorua's face. Once he was done, he fed it a bean and pet it.  
  
"Nice work out there, Zorua," he praised. Zorua barked, wagging it's tail happily. It didn't take long for them to regain their stamina, and once again the four were off on the path to Paniola Town. As soon as they approached the front gate, it was an incredibly old fashioned and rural looking town. Something straight out of an old Western-style movie. Hau was immediately excited, prancing ahead excitedly. "Hanini, check it out! There's a ranch just up ahead!" he said, pointing to a sign not too far off ahead.  
  
"This place is so surreal...it's almost like a movie set."  
  
"I know, right? I wonder if they have cowboys here!"  
  
"I should hope not...they usually use guns to solve all their problems."  
  
"Yeah, you have a point there."  
  
Zorua and Litten dashed ahead, the baby pokémon excited to look around, and the feline eager to keep an eye on it. The boys followed, noticing them dart to the left towards a pond. The two sniffed at it briefly, before lapping it up for a drink. Hau noticed nearby a Miltank restaurant, and was about to go explore when Gladion grabbed the back of his shirt. "Not so fast, we need to stock up. And we can't dilly dally here too long. It's already 11:30."   
  
Hau's eyes nearly burst out of his skull, "R-Really?! Already?! Aw man, we gotta get going, quick!" Gladion nodded, calling the small pokémon to him as Hau dashed into the Pokémon Center ahead of them. It didn't take long to get what they needed, and they immediately approached the entrance to the pathway that lead further up towards the trial grounds. There didn't seem to be any tall grass around, so they didn't have to worry about any wild pokémon coming their way. For now, at least.  
  
Once again, they were left to talk amongst themselves. Hesitantly, Gladion began the conversation this time, "Hey, Hau?" Hau seemed surprised at this, but he didn't hesitate to oblige his companion. "I just...wanted to apologize for yesterday," he said, looking down shamefully. Zorua was ahead of them with Litten, but it looked back at it's master sadly. It slowed itself down, walking alongside him as it nuzzled his ankle for comfort. Gladion mustered a weak smile at the gesture.  
  
"What's to be sorry about?"  
  
"I...I don't like lying to you."  
  
"It's ok, Hanini. I know you're still worried about a lot of things."  
  
"Yeah...I am. But I trust you. So I want to be more honest."  
  
Hau blushed, "Hanini..."  
  
"The truth is...I  _did_ talk to Burnet yesterday," he admitted, his face turning dark again. Zorua's ears folded back, remembering all-too-well the uncomfortable exchange. It could hardly understand what the two were discussing. But it knew it wasn't good. "You did? Did something bad happen?" Hau asked, raising a brow at his companion. Gladion nodded, looking up at Hau, "Let's just say...she and I don't really see eye-to-eye on a few things. She used to know my mother."  
  
"She did? That's so crazy! So...w-was she there when your mother-?"  
  
"No. Well, sort of. She was there when it all started. She wasn't around for the thickest of it."  
  
"So you guys got into a fight..."  
  
"Something like that. I didn't want to talk about it because...there's so much more to it."  
  
"You'll tell me when you think it's safe, Hanini. I know that."  
  
Suddenly, Gladion stopped dead in his tracks as Burnet's words echoed in his head again.  
  
 _"_ _It seems like you and Hau get along so well, and I...I just don't want you to sacrifice something special because you're afraid of her."_  
  
For a split second, his guilt was starting to overturn his reason. He grabbed at his left wrist, as he stared down at the ground. Something about Hau's understanding was both frustrating and comforting at the same time. What was wrong with him? This shouldn't be so hard. Yes of course he trusted Hau, how could he not? He had already proven he could be trusted. That and...somehow, he was drawn to him almost naturally. Any problem Gladion had no solution to, Hau could fix, and vice versa.  
  
Hau stared at Gladion with worry. He wondered if perhaps that was the wrong thing to say. He wasn't entirely sure what to do or say. Most of the time, he just followed his gut feeling. Or maybe it was his heart that was telling him what to do now. No, he couldn't be doing that! He had to think rationally. The older boy didn't need some annoying weird kid crushing on him right now. He needed a companion that he could trust in and talk to. The one thing he  _never_ had growing up.  
  
"Hanini?"  
  
The blonde was snapped back to reality again. He stared at Hau, and then broke the gaze as his eyes looked around frantically. "S-Sorry. Thanks for understanding, Hau. I...I'm glad you're not like everyone else," he said, blushing a bit. Hau blushed as well, but he couldn't help but raised a brow at this. "What do you mean?" he asked, blinking blankly. "You're the only one who's never tried to justify what she's done to me..." he whispered, his voice cracking a bit and seeming slightly broken.  
  
This tone drove Hau towards him instantly, grabbing his hands to comfort him. "D-Don't cry, Hanini. It's ok. E aho, remember?" he cooed. The older boy nodded, forcing himself not to cry as he met Hau's dark eyes. Hau smiled at him, only causing Gladion's face to get redder. "There, see? Everything's alright. You don't have to pressure yourself. I'll wait as long as you want me to." Gladion couldn't help but smile, and Hau turned himself around, still keeping a grip on one of Gladion's hands.  
  
While Zorua refused to leave it's master's side, Litten kept on it's trail ahead of the boys. Eventually, they reached an incredibly grassy area with a few structures scattered about. They decided to shortcut through the grass, rather than traverse around it. However, just as it seemed they would make it through the thick without any trouble, a large familiar-looking bull pokémon emerged from behind a sign that laid in the grass. It huffed violently, roaring angrily at the pair.  
  
The older boy nearly fainted from pure anxiety. Up until now, they had only ever encountered wild pokémon that were much smaller than they were. Sure, they were still scary, but at least their pokémon could reasonable go toe-to-toe with them. Litten and Zorua both stepped back nervously, feeling much the same as their masters. "Uh oh..." Hau gulped. The wild Tauros began scraping it's hoof against the ground, just before it attempted to charge right at them.  
  
In a sudden burst of adrenaline, the older boy grabbed Hau and pulled him out of the way of the stampeding pokémon. They both hit the ground hard, but it was nothing compared with the force that would've met them otherwise. They both grunted as they fell, and Gladion once again wasted no time checking on Hau's head wound for any tearing. Thankfully, he suffered no injury, and he quickly called back his Zorua to swap it out for his Zubat. "Zubat, quick! Confuse it with Supersonic!"  
  
Zubat screeched, and the sound immediately dazed the Tauros. However, this only seemed to make it angrier, as it huffed and tried to focus on it's targets. The older boy quickly pulled his companion back up to his feet, and he too swapped out his pokémon with his bat companion. "Hanini, sit this one out. We can't incapacitate it, but I've got an idea," he stated. Gladion nodded, calling for his Zubat to leave the battlefield. Immediately, Hau jumped on the opportunity to attack, "Noibat! Use Screech!"  
  
Just like it's partner, the Noibat let out a screech, this time more ear-piercing and disorienting. The Tauros only became angrier, and steam began pouring out it's ears. Suddenly, it knocked into Noibat fiercely and the Noibat screeched in pain. One of it's wings was damaged significantly by the blow, and it's flapping became slowed as a result. The Zubat seemed eager to jump in and help it's partner, but the Noibat screeched at it in disapproval. As if it was a normal reaction it anticipated of it's mate.  
  
"Noibat, heal yourself with Absorb!" Hau commanded. The Noibat glowed with a green aura as it sucked the life out of it's opponent. This didn't appear to do anything in particular for either of them. While Noibat's wing was healed, it was still left with scratches while it's opponent was still kicking rather energetically. Once again, steam came out the Tauros's ears as it managed to knock into the Noibat with extreme force. The confusion was keeping it from spotting the boys, but it seemed to not affect it's ability to spot Noibat.  
  
The blow was shockingly much more powerful than the last, and the Noibat was knocked right out of the sky. It hit the ground hard, and it's eyes swirled. It had been knocked out. Hau bit his lip, calling it back as Zubat began to screech in panic. The blonde couldn't help but sympathize with the creature. After all, he had only just undergone the pain of being so helpless to protect someone he cared about not too long ago. He looked up at the Zubat, and muttered gently to calm it.  
  
"Hey...I know you're scared right now. But he'll be fine. You can trust Hau. Noibat is going to be safe," he assured. Strangely, the Zubat seemed to trust these words. It slowly calmed itself, though it was still wary. Hau called out his next pokémon, still nervous, "Crabrawler, I need your help!" The feisty boxing pokémon was immediately pumped to fight, even moreso when it saw the massive opponent it faced. Strangely, where other pokémon would be discouraged, it's passion to fight burned brighter.  
  
"Rock Smash!" Hau ordered. Crabrawler wasted no time darting forward, as it socked the Tauros in the jaw. It stumbled back, and the hit seemed to disorient it incredibly. Hau blinked, as he realized he had just found it's weakness. He grinned, "Alright! Now we're talking!" The Tauros tried to initiate it's attack once again, but it missed, and skidded to a halt when it realized it didn't hit anything. Hau and Gladion both were incredibly grateful for the confusion that kept it from hitting them.  
  
"One more time, Rock Smash!" Hau commanded. Again, Crabrawler darted forward and hit the Tauros, this time hitting one of it's forelegs and leaving quite the bruise on it. Still, it didn't tumble onto the ground or anything of the sort. It began shaking it's head, trying to shake off the confusion. Hau didn't give it the chance, as he tossed a Great Ball at it. The Tauros moaned in distress as it was consumed by the light of the ball against it's will. It hit the ground, not too far from where Crabrawler stood.  
  
All of them stared anxiously, until finally it stopped wobbling and clicked with success. The blonde couldn't help it, and let out a sigh of relief as Hau cheered excitedly. He quickly picked up the pokéball, and put it away in his backpack. "Awesome! I can't believe I caught a Tauros!" Gladion's face went sheepish, as he slowly approached Hau nervously. "Yeah, let's never do  _that_ again," he pleaded, tiredly. Hau smiled sweetly, taking Gladion's hand and beaming, "Awww! Were you worried about me?"  
  
"O-Of course I am, you nitwit! Your head isn't healed yet!"  
  
"Thanks for the help, by the way. I would've been a pancake if it weren't for you!"  
  
"Sometimes I wonder how you even survived without me for so long..."  
  
"I dunno. Guess things just worked out for me!"  
  
Gladion rolled his eyes, tugging the foolish boy along as they continued forwards. They had to traverse through another large patch of grass, but thankfully nothing jumped out at them. As they exited through yet another gate, they were surprised to find a fenced in playground full of all sorts of pokémon. Not too far off was a small cabin-like building with the sign "Pokémon Nursery" on the roof. They exchanged a curious look, before silently agreeing to investigate this.  
  
The two approached a blonde dressed in southern attire that was standing out front with a Miltank. As soon as they approached, they noticed she was pacing nervously. Hau reached out, tapping her arm to get her attention, "Um, excuse me, miss?" She stopped in her tracks, turning to look at them. Immediately she seemed to notice Hau's amulet and gasped. "A-Are you two trainers?!" she asked, pointing to them. The older boy nodded, unable to respond verbally at the strange question.  
  
"Oh thank Arceus! Please, we've been lookin' for 2 trainers to take 'em for  _months_! That friggin' kid left us holdin' the bag!"   
  
"S-Slow down. What's the matter?"  
  
"Ugh, some kid left a couple of eggs here. But we're a Nursery, not a Day Care! We gotta give these things out before they hatch!"  
  
The blonde raised a brow at this, "How come...they haven't hatched already?" The girl sweat a bit and twiddled her thumbs, "I-I know this is mighty frowned upon, but we just can't afford to take care of 2 more pokémon full time! S-So we just...left 'em in the PC! We didn't think it'd take  _this_ long!" Something about this triggered something inside of the blonde as he scowled. "What's the matter with you? That's no way to handle something like this!"  
  
"P-Please! Look, clearly you don't agree with it, so why don't  _you_ boys take 'em?" she stuttered. Hau pondered this, "What pokémon is it?" She scoffed, "Ugh, it's been so long now I don't even remember what the parent pokémon were! Please, just take 'em! You'd be doing us  _and_ them a  _huge_ favor!" The two boys exchanged looks. Gladion nodded, a determination glinting in his eyes, "Nobody should have to be locked up like that. I wanna take care of it."  
  
Hau smiled, turning to look at the girl again, "We'll take 'em, then. Where are they?" The girl grinned, shaking both their hands frantically before darting into the Nursery as she sputtered "thank-yous" and "Mahalos". Not too long after, she came back outside with 2 brown colored eggs. She handed them over to the boys all-too-eagerly, and bowed her head in thanks once again. The boys exchanged looks again, before Hau spoke up. "Guess we'll just have to settle down at the Hotel for a couple days."  
  
The older boy nodded, "That's fine. It's probably for the best. We're way late to get to the trial anyways and there's no way we'd be able to make it back after you finished. Let's head back now, before it gets dark." Hau nodded, gently putting the egg away in his backpack, as Gladion did the same with his satchel. They were both especially careful and anxious on their way back, but the presence of the new children set both their pokémon on high alert. Their journey back would be much safer now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gladion has now leveled up from fussy crush to protective boyfriend.
> 
> Also, I just got my Alola Art Book in the mail today, absolutely fantastic and beautiful. I love it. Definitely recommend to anybody who's interested in buying it.


	27. Chapter 26 - Ohana Means Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eevee begins it's training, as Lillie begins to bond more with her mentors.

Lillie carefully unwrapped the bandages around the Eevee's foreleg. It's single, visible eye stared on in anticipation. As did the eyes of all of Lillie's  _other_ pokémon. As they began to unravel, everyone observed that the wound that had previously disabled it seemed to be fully healed. The Eevee grinned, wagging it's tail excitedly. Finally, when it all came off, it began jump and prancing around on the pillow to test it's foreleg. Perfectly stable, and not even the slightest hint of an ache from it's rapid movement. It was ready to begin it's training, finally.  
  
"Vee vee!"  
  
"Peeewww!"  
  
"Cleffy! Cleff, clefairy, cleff cleff!"  
  
The room was filled with all sorts of chitters and chirps and barks as they all celebrated the Eevee's swift recovery. Lillie gave it a pat on the head, offering it a strangely colored special pokébean to congratulate it. It happily accepted, munching down on the bean within a few mere seconds. Immediately after, it hopped off the pillow and began making a show of it's newly healed leg. Marching about, and making something of a congo-line or a parade with the other pokémon. Nebby kept on waving it's arms around, unable to join in the fun completely.  
  
Eventually, the group dispersed as their master approached them. Calling them all into their balls safe for Eevee, she had an expectant look on her face. "Alright, Eevee. It's time to start your training. Let's go kick some grunts in the teeth, huh?" The Eevee nodded happily, "Vee vee!" Picking up her dufflebag and gently pushing Nebby back inside, she headed downstairs and out the door with her new partner. However, as soon as she went outside, she found that once again, all the grunts had bolted for the islands. She pouted, her face flushing.  
  
"Mmm! Those freaking jerks! Who am I supposed to train with?"  
  
"Gee, I'm hurt, princess."  
  
Lillie blinked, turning and looking up to see Plumeria sitting on her roof. Entwined in her fingers was a smoking cigarette. Lillie's surprise was stamped clearly on her face, "Plumeria? You're still here?" Slowly, the Admin stood up and jumped down to the ground safely. She put her hand on her hip as she walked up to her pupil, "Thought I'd hang back for the day. Can't babysit the kids forever, now can I?" The blonde tilted her head, still seeming perplexed. "But...I can't fight you. Eevee's not nearly strong enough to-"  
  
"Princess, I love ya, but you keep forgettin' about a very precious scaley friend of mine."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
As if on cue, an ashen colored lizard with bulbous purple eyes slithered it's way to the girls's feet. It hissed, and Plumeria smiled proudly. Lillie blinked at it sheepishly, a bit creeped out by it if she was honest. Eevee stared at it from behind it's master's legs. Plumeria leaned down, crushing her cigarette against the pavement to put it out as she pet the scaley creature. "This here is Salandit. She's my ace. Haven't pulled it out on ya before since she's a slow grower. But that's alright, this is a perfect opportunity for both of us to train them."  
  
"Alright then, let's do it," Lillie nodded. Slowly, Plumeria stood up, coughing into her fist. She and Salandit strut past the two, heading into the paint-littered streets to prepare for their battle. The blonde followed eagerly, and stood across from Plumeria at a long distance to assure their pokémon space for their duel. Both pokémon were more than prepared for the rush. Eevee's face was full of determination, and the Salandit's tail wagged excitedly. Plumeria smirked smugly at Lillie, feeling ecstatic at the chance to test her pupil once again.  
  
"You ready to have your world rocked, kid?"  
  
"Beat me if you can,  _hag_."  
  
Plumeria couldn't help but be amused by just how snappy she had become. Taking a deep breath, she gave Salandit the first order. "Distract it down with Sweet Scent!" Through the pores on it's scale, a puffy, thick, and pinkish fog filled the air. The smell of it filled the Eevee's nostrils, and it couldn't help but be overcome by how lovely it was. It swayed a bit, but it didn't appear to be dazed. "Huh? Eevee, snap out of it!" Lillie commanded. Her cry went unheard, and the Eevee continued to be overtaken by the scent in the air.  
  
"Hit it with Ember!" Plumeria shouted. The lizard hissed, opening up it's maw and forming a ball of fire. Without wasting any time, it shot the ball right into the Eevee's face, knocking it back onto it's side. The Eevee cried out in pain, not expecting the blow with how distracted it was. However, the hit knocked some sense back into it, as it stood back up and shook it's head, growling aggressively. The scent in the air was still difficult to ignore, but it was ready to fight against it. "Good to have you back, use Quick Attack!" she ordered.  
  
With unavoidable speed, the Eeve darted forward. The lizard pokémon's eyes darted back and forth as it began to sweat, unable to detect the pup pokémon. Suddenly, it appeared right before it's eyes and slammed into the Salandit, knocking it back a bit. Salandit hissed in displeasure as it pulled itself back up. Plumeria smirked smugly, "Use Poison Gas!" Once again, a smog poured out from the pokémon's pores in between it's scales. This time a deep, dark purple that infected the oxygen in the air. It had no affect on the two human trainers battling, but the Eevee's face turned dark and blue.  
  
It swayed a bit, it's tongue sticking out as it began to feel woozy. "E-Eevee..." it sputtered, trying hard to keep it's eyes trained on it's opponent. Lillie raises a brow, before realizing what had just happened. It had been poisoned. Plumeria chuckled, "Like our little surprise? My Salandit here can poison anything she wants, even types that are normally immune to being poisoned." Lillie's eyes popped in intrigue and shock. She had yet to learn that sometimes pokémon defied the general rules she had learned.  
  
The Eevee began trying it's hardest not to throw up. It's poisoning had clearly damaged it. This, combined with the scent in the air, made it near impossible to evade the Salandit's next attack. "Ember, again!" Plumeria commanded. Once again, the poor fluffy pokémon was hit with a harsh ball of fire. If not for the poisoning, it'd have been at even more risk to suffer a burn. It struggled to stand back up, despite not being all that damaged just yet. "V-Vee..." it grunted, struggling to keep it's eyes open through all the fog and it's own pain.  
  
_Hmmm...she's got us pinned down to our backs. So long as Eevee can't dodge, she'll be down in just a few more hits. Unless..._  
  
"Eevee! Baby-Doll Eyes!" Lillie commanded. Mustering it's deepest, most inner cuteness, it unleashed an unbearably endearing look. It's eyes sparkled with pleading, begging intentions. The Salandit's resolve cracked a bit at this, suddenly feeling a bit guilty for being so hard on it. Plumeria frowned, though deep down feeling even more pride for her pupil trying to crack her strategy. "Salandit, focus! Use Dragon Rage!" she snapped. The Salandit shook it's head, shooting a purple ball of fire into the Eevee, careful not to make it too large.  
  
Due to this, the Eevee suffered little damage from the blow, though it's increasingly worsening toxication had made it more difficult to focus. It also seemed to deal it some internal damage. Regardless, it pulled itself back up, far from ready to give up now. "Hang in there just a little longer Eevee, Baby-Doll Eyes, again!" Once again the Eevee stared at the Salandit with wide, pleading eyes. It only became more nervous and more hesitant as it took a couple steps back. But Plumeria would not let this deter her. "Don't show mercy, use Ember!"  
  
Despite it's master's commands, the Salandit couldn't bring itself to injure the Eevee too much. Only giving half it's effort, it hit the Eevee again with a weaker fireball than it was able to muster previously. The Eevee coughed, forcing itself to focus. "You can do this, Eevee, lower it's defenses with Tail Whip!" Lillie shouted. Eevee began wagging it's tail around in an equally endearing manner. Despite swaying around from it's disorientation, it's move was successful and the lizard became far less wary of the Eevee's strength.  
  
"Ember, again!"  
  
"Dodge it!"  
  
Miraculously, the Eevee managed to sway itself right out of the direct line of fire. Plumeria's eyes widened in surprise, as did her Salandit's. Despite it's hesitation, it did in fact intend to hit the Eevee. Eevee barked, seeming to be on it's last hinges of energy. Lillie smirked, "Checkmate. Eevee, use Quick Attack!" The Eevee darted forward at breakneck speeds once again. The Salandit was unable to locate it in time before suffering a hard hit that send it flying back to it's master's feet. The Eevee jumped back, somehow managing to suppress the poison's effects.  
  
Slowly, the Salandit stood back up, and Lillie gulped as she turned back to her Eevee. The Eevee could no longer resist the poison's hold, and passed out from exhaustion. It's eyes swirled, signalling it's defeat. "Oh, Eevee!" Lillie cried, rushing over to her now unconscious pokémon and holding it gently. She sighed, calling it back into it's ball, "Rest now, Eevee. We'll get 'em  _next_ time." The ebony lizard crawled it's way up Plumeria's body, settling on her shoulders and nuzzling her lovingly. She chuckled, feeding it an Oran berry to heal it's wounds.  
  
Slowly, she approached the dejected blonde, drawing the young girl's attention up to her. "You look like you could use a drink. C'mon, follow me," she beckoned, holding out her hand. Lillie didn't hesitate to take it, rising to her feet as they headed into the Pokémon Center not too far away. After healing up her Eevee, Plumeria grabbed a couple of cans out of a fridge in the back, and sat on the counter. Holding one out to her pupil, she offered a friendly smile. "Here ya go, princess. Drink up," she said, popping open her own can.  
  
Lillie did the same, taking a gentle and dainty sip before her eyes went wide. She coughed a bit, sticking out her tongue in disgust. As she looked down at the can more closely, she realized what Plumeria had given her. "B-Beer?" she squeaked, not expecting the surprise. Plumeria chuckled, "Yup, you  _definitely_ didn't end up on that beach from some kinda drunken stupor!" Lillie pouted, and Plumeria made a mocking face to imitate her. "Awww, don't gimme that look princess, just drink it. The first beer is always the most tasty after ya have a peek."  
  
"I-I can't drink this!"  
  
"Who says?" Plumeria asked, raising a brow at her.  
  
"The law, for one. And-"  
  
"I didn't take you for someone who cares about the rules. What with being a runaway and a  _thief_ , after all. Oh, and, now a gangster."  
  
"W-Well I-"  
  
Suddenly Plumeria's words hit Lillie hard. Did...she just say she was a  _thief_? Suddenly, she began to sweat hard. There was no way Plumeria could know, right? I mean...she had been careful to hide it! Right? She would just die if she was found out now. She thought long and hard. Where could she have been careless? What was she missing? Or maybe this was about something totally different. Maybe she was just referring to something else? But what else could she be talking about?  _Oh, Arceus, say something already!_ she screamed, mentally.  
  
Plumeria could see the inner turmoil on her face. At first it was amusing, but now she started to feel a little mean. "Calm down, kid. I'm not gonna tell nobody. Who do ya think I'm gonna tattle to, your mother?" Lillie gulped, still feeling nervous. She looked up at Plumeria hesitantly, "H-How...did you know that I stole it?" Plumeria sweat a bit, but it went un-noticed by the young girl, thankfully. Just before taking another sip, she simply answered, "You wouldn't be hidin' it if it belonged to ya, now would ya?" Lillie processed this answer carefully for a short moment.  
  
Then, suddenly, she began chugging her beer can. Plumeria nearly flinched from pure shock as she coughed up her own sip. "H-Hey, kid! Easy, you could choke on that!" she scolded. The blonde just ignored her, and eventually, the can became empty. With a soft pout on her face, she crushed the can in her hand and tossed it behind the counter. Sighing heavily, she hopped up beside Plumeria on the counter. There were no words exchanged for a brief moment, before Lillie let out a loud and heavily un-lady like belch. Her face went red as soon as it left her lungs.  
  
Plumeria stared at her, as she covered her mouth with her hands. Then, she chuckled, "Jesus, kid! You're seriously nuts!" Lillie giggled nervously, wanting desperately to change the subject of her uncouth deed. "So, what is that thing you've got stuffed in your bag anyways? I ain't never seen anything like it before," Plumeria asked, sensing Lillie's slight discomfort. "Well...I don't rightly  _know_ what it's called. I call it Nebula, since, it looks like a nebulous sky. It's very weak, and it can barely move still," Lillie explained.  
  
"I see, so you keep it in the bag so it doesn't jump around and hurt itself. I figured it doesn't have a pokéball yet," Plumeria guessed. Lillie nodded, "Yeah, it was kept in this strange containment unit. I'm not even sure if I  _can_ catch it. It's...something of a really rare pokémon." Suddenly, at thought occurred to Lillie. She turned to look at Plumeria with panicked eyes. "W-Wait, does Guzma know?!" she squeaked. Plumeria shook her head, waving the question off with her hand, "Nah. He's too stupid to notice these things. Unless you  _want_ him to know."  
  
"...I...I don't know about that quite yet. So, you'll promise you won't tell anyone? Not even the grunts?" she asked. Plumeria nodded, "It's got nothin' to do with those brats, anyways. Hell, maybe when it's feelin' better you can try trainin' it." Lillie pondered this, before frowning. "I donno. All it's got is Splash and...well it's only a theory, but I believe it has Teleport as well." Plumeria nodded at this, finally finishing her own can of beer. She too, crushed it in her fist and tossed it onto the floor behind her. Lillie's face went red again as her mentor didn't hesitate to belch even louder than she had.  
  
They shared another giggle, before Lillie broke the moment again. "S-So...you're the Admin. How long have you known Mister Gu- I-I mean...the Boss?" she asked. Plumeria pondered this question. How many years  _had_ it been? It was so long ago now she couldn't remember. Pulling one of her legs up to rest an arm on her knee, she quietly answered. "Hmmm...since we were teenagers, I think. Real sad sack, he was. He told ya about how he started out, right?" Lillie nodded. "Well, he was still kinda pathetic when I first met 'im. He and his Wimpod were so weak it was cute."  
  
"I see. Say, how did  _you_ end up on your own? Were you like Guzma? You know, a...a Trial-Goer?" Lillie interrupted. Plumeria snickered at the mere suggestion. "Pffft,  _hell_ no. I never gave a fuck about any trials, let  _alone_ Kahunas. Nah...I wanted to be an idol celebrity," she explained. Lillie's eyes sparkled at this explanation. An idol celebrity? It was even harder for her to imagine Plumeria wanting such a girly and posh career. Lillie used to grow up  _adoring_ these shows. Nowadays, the thought of them made her disgusted. It seemed like such a waste of time now.  
  
The trainers were always dressed in extravagant and sometimes  _laughably_ strange clothes. The most popular among them were woman with incredibly feminine looking pokémon. Gardevoirs, Delphoxes, and one of her most favorite; Milotics. Usually they starred in Pokémon Contests, a spectacle of pokémon's appearances rather than their strength. Whereas moves would be used for battle by normal trainers, often times in contests they were used to create a gorgeous array of sights that made millions across the world swoon in sheer ecstasy.  
  
" _Really_?"  
  
"I know, you wouldn't expect someone like me to be into all that."  
  
"Well, no, I have to admit I wouldn't."  
  
"Guess I've always just been a fan of the more feminine lookin' pokémon. My Salandit can evolve into a real beaut when it's strong enough, a pokémon called Salazzle. The most special thing about 'em is nobody has ever seen a male Salazzle. They usually keep harems of male Salandit around to breed. Kind of like a bee hive, but with lizards."  
  
"Wow! That's so interesting. So, your Salandit could be one, one day. Does that mean you still want to become an idol?"  
  
"Yes, and no."  
  
Lillie raised a brow at this as she tilted her head. Her face was littered with confusion. She couldn't quite put together the yes or the no of the answer. Plumeria snickered again, "I mean, I guess you could say I just wanna be famous in general. Just like the big guy. But all that idol stuff is so tacky and...blech. I'd wanna show off a  _real_ spectacle of both power  _and_ beauty." Finally, it clicked in Lillie's mind and she nodded with a smile. "That makes sense. So, how did you meet Guzma again? Sorry for interrupting. Oh! Sorry for apologizing. Gah, I mean-"  
  
Plumeria chuckled and pat her head, "Princess, princess,  _relax_. Don't hurt yourself." Lillie forced herself to just stop talking. If she kept on doing so, she knew she'd  _never_ shut up. Taking her hand off of Lillie's head, Plumeria's gazed turned up at the ceiling melancholicly. "Well, let's just say I had overbarring parents just like you. They told me what to wear, eat, and do all the time. And my 'silly' dream of becoming an idol just didn't fit their schedule. So, just like you, I got fed up with it and ran away. They didn't even bother lookin' for me...guess they were glad to see me gone."  
  
Lillie frowned. She was able to relate to the feeling, or at least, in a sense. She was most certain her mother  _was_ hunting her, as she was most certainly still hunting her brother. Though, she knew for a fact she didn't hunt them for them. No, this was about the pokémon. About her selfish, stupid obsession. "I was on my own for a few days, before I ran into the big oaf and his Wimpod. It was real rainy, and I didn't pack no extra clothes. Just food. Of course, he has the wit and charm of a freaking Slowpoke, so the jack ass  _tossed_ his jacket onto my face," Plumeria continued.  
  
Lillie giggled, "Oh wow! It's the thought that counts, I suppose." Plumeria pouted, nodding at this. "Yeah, at first I was pissed, but I noticed he was just as dirty and roughed up as I was. I knew he was homeless just by lookin' at 'im. After that day, we just sorta stuck together like glue. I was pissy with him at first and I wasn't too keen on sharin' my food. But he and his Wimpod kinda grew on me after a while, you could say." Lillie noticed Plumeria blushing as she scratched her cheek. Slowly, her eyes widened a bit as she realized something.  
  
"Do you... _like_ the Boss?"  
  
"Wh-what?!"  
  
"You know...like...um...having a crush?"  
  
"N-No! Where did you get  _that_ stupid idea?"  
  
"S-Sorry, ma'am! I didn't mean to overstep my boundaries!"  
  
Plumeria huffed, crossing her arms as she forced herself to calm down. Taking a deep breath, she gave in. Her face was still a bit flushed, but she was much calmer now. She sighed, "No, it's...alright, princess. I'm just a stubborn moron. Kind of like someone else we know." Lillie smiled, her previous panic subsiding immediately. "So, when did you start really liking him?" she asked. Plumeria hesitantly met her pupil's eyes, repositioning her leg to hang over the counter again.  
  
"I don't really know if there was a particular moment. It was just sort of gradual. Sometimes it's like that."  
  
"So you guys started this gang of yours together."  
  
"Yeah, we did. We realized quickly that a lot of kids out there were just like us. So, one day, we stowed away on a ferry and headed out to Ula'Ula Island. There was this deadbeat town that hadn't been inhabited for years. It even had a wall built around it just to keep curious kids out."  
  
"Seems like it did just the opposite."  
  
"You got that right, princess. Technically, nobody really knows where we are except for the Island Kahuna. He used to be an officer on the force before the Tapu chose him. He's a real lazy fella, so he's just content paying us rent to keep his place down the street in exchange for keeping his mouth shut."  
  
"Does he know about  _me_?" Lillie asked, seeming nervous at this new information.  
  
"Kid, even if he did, he wouldn't say anythin'. The big guy can't stand Kahunas, but he and I have become content that he can be trusted. If he wanted to rat us out, he'd have done it by now."  
  
Lillie nodded seeming content with this answer. She already fully trusted her caretakers at this point. Anyone they felt they could trust was just an extension of that. Suddenly, the front door of the Pokémon Center. To both the girls's surprise, it was none other than the big bad boss himself. Curiously, his Golisopod was nowhere to be seen. Lillie hopped down off the counter, addressing her boss immediately. "Boss, what's the occasion? I didn't think there were any grunts around to battle today."  
  
"There ain't. I'm here for you, little missy."  
  
"Oh, is something the matter?"  
  
Guzma shook his head, "Nah. Nuthin' bad. Bring your pokémon with you to the mansion. I'll be in my throne room." Lillie and Plumeria exchanged perplexed looks, before the young girl looked up at Guzma again. "Is...this another test?" she asked. Guzma just pat her head and chuckled. "Maybe it is. Why don't you come see for yourself?" Before either of them could even question this, he disappeared out the door again. Lillie blinked, before turning to Plumeria once more for approval.  
  
Plumeria simply shrugged, sneering in confusion. "Welp, the boss gets what the boss wants. Go on, scamp. I'll catch up with ya later. Oh and, you did great today," she said. Lillie nodded, turning and heading out the front door once again. As she made her way out, Plumeria jumped behind the counter to pick up the smushed aluminium that now littered the floor. As filthy and unkempt as the town overall, let alone the Pokémon Center was, she wasn't fond of the idea of attracting Durants.

 

* * *

  
It didn't get any less eerie or intimidating no matter how many times she entered the dreary mansion. It just had an un-ending, powerful aura about it. It fit her boss quite well, if she did say so herself. She hadn't explored much of it, since it was where most of the grunts spent their time. Eventually, she made her way to the door to Guzma's secluded throne room. Hesitantly, she knocked. She hadn't been to his throne room for a visit in a long while, as usually their training sessions were held outside.  
  
She had no idea how to go about entering at all. If his reaction to Plumeria was anything to go by, he didn't like being disturbed. Then again, he  _was_ supposedly recovering from a hang-over. And just now he had  _asked_ that she come by. Still, she couldn't help but feel nervous about it. She supposed it couldn't be helped. To her surprise, instead of Guzma saying anything or answering the door, the door swung open to reveal a certain towering arthropod pokémon that chirped gleefully to see her.  
  
"O-Oh! There you are, Golisopod. Is Guzma in?" she asked. The Golisopod nodded, stepping aside to allow her inside. She politely obliged the offer, stepping back into the room for the first time in what must've been nearly 2 weeks now. It didn't look much different from what she remembered, though she didn't do much exploring before she exited after waking the last time she was here. Immediately, she noticed Guzma sitting on his throne. A couple bug pokémon were resting on his bed as well.  
  
His Masquerain which she recognized, and another bug pokémon that she didn't. It had the overall appearance of a stag beetle. It had dull brown skin, and on it's head were large white pincers on it's head that were covered with spikes. It's gaping, seeming uncloseable mouth was filled with sharp and long teeth. Most likely used for tearing up it's food or prey with ease. She approached Guzma quietly, paying no mind to the resting pokémon. From behind her, the Golisopod politely closed the door.  
  
"So, you wanted to see me and my pokémon, sir?" she asked. Guzma nodded, looking to her bag, "Let 'em out. All of 'em." Lillie raised a brow at this, but she didn't disobey the order. Grabbing up the bundle of her pokéballs, she tossed them into the air and called them all out. "It's time to come out, everyone!" Her pokémon looked around the room in confusion, save for Herdier and Clefairy who recognized the enclosed space almost instantly. Immediately, Eevee's curiosity was peaked at the sight of the pokémon on the bed.  
  
"Vee vee?" it muttered, hopping up onto the bed to greet them. Lillie turned to look at it, pouting as her face flushed and she put her hands on her hips, "Eevee! No! We're not here to play!" Guzma smirked, "Who said?" Lillie seemed surprised at this, as her face paled back to normal and she stopped pouting. She turned to look at her boss curiously. "You...wanted my pokémon to mingle with yours?" she guessed. Guzma nodded, looking to the small staircase that lead up to his throne.  
  
"Come sit with me. Let 'em get used to each other," he offered. She hesitantly took him up on the offer, sitting on the staircase below him as they observed the pokémon begin to communicate with one another. Golisopod sat calmly, chittering with the Fomantis and Clefairy. Eevee and Herdier were both on the bed with other two bug pokémon, also chatting away. Clefairy, Golisopod, Masquerain, and Herdier all recognized each other. So their conversations were a bit louder than those of the other 3.  
  
Surprisingly, Golisopod reached into it's pokébean pile and handed the Fomantis and Clefairy each a special bean. As they both took an experimental bite followed by merciless munching, it seemed happy to have pleased them. Lillie turned her head to look up at Guzma, still curious to his motives. "How come you wanted to do this, if you don't mind my asking?" she asked. He sat up a bit, staring at her carefully. "Usually, I like to keep my motif, 'specially with the kids. I want them to be afraid of Golisopod so they've got motive to become strong enough to beat it one day."  
  
"Mmhm...?"  
  
"But, it definitely don't work on you the same way. You're the only one who's ever asked to pet it. And this thing absolutely loves ya."  
  
"I am? It...it does?"  
  
"Yeah, huge shocker, I know."  
  
"I guess...I'm just not too bothered by it. I mean, since you seem so generous and kind under all that strength. O-Oh! No that I'm underestimating you, boss!"  
  
Guzma chuckled, waving the comment off with grace. "Chill out, princess. I guess you're right. Kind of hard to be spooked out by my partner when ya see my softer side," he admitted. "I mean, I do care about those kids. And I give them comfort when they need it. They're kids, just like you. At the end of the day even if they're hot-headed, stubborn, stupid, or even fulla shit." Internally, he was a bit bemused by the irony in his description. Then again, that's pretty much why he even took these kids in in the first place.  
  
"I see...I guess I understand that. They just get under my skin a lot," she pouted, her face flushing again. He chuckled. "They're just numb skulls, don't mind them. You've more than proven you're above them in strength." Lillie's flush faded, and she smiled, "Thanks, I think I feel a lot more confident now." As they continued talking, the pokémon began to shift around, curious about the others they hadn't yet spoken to. Eevee climbed up onto Golisopod's back, making it's way up to it's head and posing with it's chest puffed out proudly.  
  
The Golisopod sweat a bit, too nervous to move for fear of it falling off. Lillie gave a worried look at this, "Eevee, that's dangerous! Get down from there! You just got your leg healed." Guzma interjected, much to her surprise, "Hold on a sec." Lillie raised a brow at this once again, but she didn't protest. The Eevee began hopping from side to side, showing off itself. Slowly, the Golisopod became more comfortable, and began to stand up. The other pokémon watched the spectacle eagerly.  
  
They both began dancing and moving about with style. The sight was sincerely adorable, and both Guzma and Lillie couldn't help but laugh in amusement. Then, the Eevee began communicating with the Golisopod again. At first, neither of them were sure what was going on, until the Golisopod began making strange noises. Guzma recognized the sound as something similar to beatboxing. The Eevee smirked smugly, swaying itself atop the Golisopod's head as it began to perform with the Golisopod's back-up vocals aiding it.  
  
"Vee vee! Eev ve vee, vee! Vee vee, vee vee! Ee ee ee, vee vee vee!"  
  
The pokémon who were now cheering on the show began chiming in every now and then. Almost as if cued by the Eevee to do so. It went on for another few minutes, before the Eevee suddenly jumped down from the Golisopod's head. Lillie gasped in shocked, but much to her surprise, the Golisopod managed to catch her Eevee in it's large limbs. Eevee cheered with success, as the other pokémon joined it as they clapped. Gently, Golisopod put the small creature back onto the floor safely.  
  
The Eevee soaked up the attention for all it was worth, and Lillie couldn't help but smile. She sighed in relief, "Well, at least they're having fun." Guzma reached down, patting her head and accidentally knocked her tiara off-balance. She pouted, repositioning her hair ornament with a point. She huffed briefly, before calming herself. "Thanks for inviting me up here again. It's really nice in here. I mean, I still prefer my cozy little attic, but, to each their own," she giggled.  
  
"Just makin' sure you're doin' well, sweetheart."  
  
"And I thank you for that too. I've learned a lot from you guys."  
  
"And you've been makin' us real proud with how far you've come. In fact, I was thinkin'..."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"You need to get a little more trainin' in, but I think...the next time you evolve one of yer pokémon, you should go back out into the field."  
  
"The field?!"  
  
Guzma nodded, "Plum and I wanna help you stick it to that little brat that embarrassed ya like that."  
  
Lillie smiled, suddenly beaming brightly with flattery. The moment had overtaken her as she spoke her next words. "R-Really?! Thank you, dad!" As soon as the words left her lips, she covered her mouth. Guzma's face went red as his eyes became wide. The pokémon all stared at the two, curious to their sudden silence. After what seemed like hours, Guzma tugged at his golden chain necklace as he cleared his throat. "N-No problem, princess. You've been earnin' your keep, and I know how it feels to wanna stick it to someone."  
  
Lillie nodded, hesitantly taking her hands off her face. She looked down sadly, seeming ashamed of her comment. "It won't happen again, boss..." she said, careful not to blurt an apology. Guzma rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a little sorry for her. "Hey, it's alright. I don't mind, princess," he admitted. She didn't look at him, but internally it made her relieved to hear him say. She sighed, "It's just...I guess I've never had someone like you before. I never knew my real dad. When he died, I was so young."  
  
"I see, that's a real shame. I'm sorry ya had to go through that, kid..." he said, solemnly. She shook her head, her eyes filled with determination as she stared up at Guzma. "The past doesn't matter to me anymore. Right now, I'm going to focus on making you proud of me. I'll earn my title as the Skull Princess, and become a trainer worthy of the Skull Gang," she declared. Guzma stared at her for a moment, before nodding and returning her stern look with one of his own. She stood up, calling back her pokémon and putting them away.  
  
The two exchanged one last look, before Lillie turned and exited the throne room. She began back towards the Pokémon Center, where she had left Plumeria. She knew she had to live up to her place with these people. And that's precisely what she'd do. She had learned a lot since coming here, and now she had accepted them as family. And vice versa, it seemed. Either way, she had to focus on her goals now. First came Moon, then, she would deal with her family. If Gladion was still out there, she was certain of one thing.  
  
_You better watch where you're walking, big brother...because if I find you, you're gonna be sorry you ever ran away in the **first** place._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why, but now whenever I write Golisopod I just think of Baymax from Big Hero Six lol.
> 
> Anyways, little break from the slow burn so we can enjoy some wholesome family time .w.


	28. Chapter 27 - The Torkoal and the Scorbunny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion and Hau's eggs hatch, allowing them to head out for Lana's Trial so Hau can continue his Island Challenge.

Finally, the children had become use to the room around them. The only one that wasn't out to play the moment was Hau's Tauros. Of course, even this large room had it's limits. Still, he did at least introduce everyone before putting it away again first. It still seemed a little sour at first, but a few pats on it's horns and a couple of pokébeans easily repaired this. Of course, Gladion was still no less nervous about letting Hau touch it. Or going anywhere near it himself. The small pokémon were once again curious to the new eggs, but Litten and Pikachu both had learned to be gentle by now.  
  
Much like Null, they became teachers to the others on what to do. Rockruff seemed particularly careful of these instructions. The boys wondered if it was because it could resonate with the unborn child. It was the most calm and loving they had ever seen it. Sometimes, though, it would growl at anyone who approached it. Null of course just made sure they didn't start fighting with one another. Right now, Rockruff was cuddled up by Gladion's egg to keep it warm, while Pikachu and Litten were making sure that Hau's egg didn't tilt or fall off the bed, much less it's cushion home.  
  
Gladion was sat on his bed not too far from Rockruff, brushing out his Zorua's mangled fur. Much like Gladion, it had bed head problems. It had been an overall quiet morning so far. Hau was still resting, but Pikachu and Litten were sure to keep him from rolling around too much. Noibat and Zubat's ears began to twitch. They each glanced the eggs of their respective masters, though neither egg seemed to be moving. Then, as if on cue, they both began rattling. Rockruff felt the vibrations, and jumped up to it's feet, barking to alert it's master to the spectacle.  
  
Zorua and Gladion looked up, and the blonde gasped, dropping the Zorua's brush. The Zorua barked, bounding towards the egg and hopping up and down excitedly. Pikachu and Litten noticed Hau's egg doing much the same as the commotion unfolded. The blonde acted quickly to alert his companion, "Hau. Hau, wake up!" The younger boy made a mumbling noise. Pikachu pouted, prancing closer to it's trainer and slapping at his face with it's hands. "Pika! Pika pi, pikachu!" it shouted, trying to wake it's master but to no avail as he swatted it's hand away.  
  
The Pikachu took a deep breath, giving Gladion a brief look as it held up it's hand. "Pika," it stated, unknown to Gladion simply stating it could handle this. Then, it curled up on itself as it's red cheeks sparked brightly. It began to glow with sparks and lightning, before bumping it's cheek against Hau's to give him a slight shock. Not enough to hurt him, but enough to snap him out of his sleep. And it worked like a charm, as Hau sat up instantly and cried out in surprise. He rubbed his cheek, pouting at Pikachu sourly, "Pikachuuu! Don't do that!"  
  
"Hau!" the older boy called again. Hau instantly addressed the call, and realized what all the commotion was about. Carefully, he pulled himself out of his sheets and watched the egg closely. Litten and Pikachu covered the other side to make sure nothing happened to it. As time passed, the sounds of pounding from inside both eggs could be heard. Then, a paw burst through Hau's egg. It began feeling around the outside, trying to find a weaker point than the one it just found. Gladion's egg was still forming cracks, slowly inching around the top.  
  
Finally, the older boy's egg popped open a the top. A small Eevee's head poked out of it, blinking at him curiously. The egg shell it had just busted off was rested on it's head, making it's ears droop downwards whereas normally they'd stick out high above it's head. Instantly, Gladion noticed the strange hair on it's head. It hair that almost covered it's entire face, if not for the egg shell pushing the hairs aside. "Eevee...?" it cooed, staring at the blonde curiously. Two paws came up, gripping the sides of the opening. Just as it did, the other egg cracked more.  
  
Another paw had punched through the shell. Then, after a few seconds, it was an onslaught of punches until there was a large enough opening for the pokémon inside to exit. It too, was an Eevee. It had no particularly special hairs on it's face, but it's ears seemed to be slightly shorter than usual Eevees. As soon as it saw Hau, it grinned and pounced out of the egg into his lap. "Vee!" it chirped, snuggling against him lovingly. Zorua was now helping the other Eevee properly exit it's egg. It safely crawled it's way out, climbing off the cushion and onto the bed.   
  
It began sniffing around curiously. It seemed timid, almost shy in a sense. Then, it slowly approached Gladion as it began sniffing at his hand. Zorua had been communicating with it since it escaped it's eggshell cage, and reassuring it that it could trust the blonde. The Eevee peered at the Zorua curiously, before looking up to meet Gladion's eyes again. It blinked, "Vee vee?" Carefully, and slowly as to not scare the child, Gladion brushed the eggshell of the Eevee's head. It's ears shot back up and it's hair now masked it's bulbous eyes.  
  
Quietly and carefully, it curled up into the blonde's lap. It didn't appear to be sleeping, but it had definitely imprinted on him. He smiled, petting it gently and slowly. Zorua and Rockruff both watched it, as Zubat joined them. Noibat also joined in gathering around the other Eevee, helping Crabrawler up onto the bed to greet it. Hau's Eevee was far more hyper, still squirming in it's master's lap. Hau couldn't help but laugh at how cute it was. It almost reminded him of...  
  
"...Hey, Gladion?"  
  
The blonde looked up curiously. He noted his companion's Eevee that had also hatched, "Oh, wow, yours looks healthy too. So they're  _both_ Eevees." Hau nodded, "Yeah, mine's got shorter ears. Yours looks kinda funny with all that hair." He chuckled again. Gladion also noted this. "Hmm...I hope it's not going to get in the way. It's kind of quiet," he said. A thought suddenly occurred to Hau. He met the blonde's eyes again, "Hey...do you think they might have the same parents? I mean that lady said they both belonged to 1 trainer."  
  
They looked between the Eevees, before they both hung their heads sheepishly. Once again, they spoke in unison as they said, "Definitely not." Hau's Eevee finally stopped rolling around in it's master's lap, it's eyes landing on the Eevee on the bed across from it. Gladion's Eevee seemed to return the look, raising it's head up slightly. Suddenly, before anyone could stop it, the baby Eevee jumped between the beds and somehow landed without fail on it's destination. Of course, this didn't stop the pokémon and the boys from gasping in horror, nor sighing in relief.  
  
"Eevee, you can't just jump around like that!" Hau pouted. The Eevee ignored him, and Gladion's Eevee slowly crawled out of his lap. It sniffed shyly at the bouncing Eevee. They stared at each other for a moment, before Hau's Eevee suddenly pounced on the other and rubbed cheeks with it. Gladion's Eevee seemed mildly displeased, but not distressed. It merely groaned in annoyance, seeming uncomfortable with the sudden contact. "Eevee!" the energetic Eevee cried. The boys couldn't help but smile at this, as the other pokémon's nerves soothed almost instantly.  
  
Eventually, Hau called to his Eevee again, and it hopped off the gloomy Eevee. It stood up, shaking it's fur around and sitting with a huff and a pout. The cheerier Eevee just giggled, having the time of it's new life. The boys each took out their pokéballs, Hau making sure to keep his Eevee's attention. "Hey, wanna come travel with me? I'll help you be real strong," Hau offered. The Eevee bounced in approval, cheering excitedly. The younger boy tossed the ball towards it, and it was consumed in a bright light just before the ball instantly clicked with success.  
  
The more stoic Eevee seemed actually off-put by the sight, and sniffed at the pokéball that now rested on the best. As it heard Gladion's voice again, it turned to look at him. The older boy was holding another ball that was just like the one it's brother had just been sucked into. It tilted it's head curiously, sniffing at the ball. It stared up at it's now parent familiar. Or at least, Gladion was sure it was. It was still difficult to tell under all that hair. "You can trust me. You and your brother are in safe hands with us," he reassured.  
  
There was a moment of silence, before the Eevee slapped the ball with it's paw with a light grunt. Instantly, this set off the pokéball and the Eevee was swiftly sucked up into it through the light. It wobbled a bit, before clicking. Hau climbed off his bed to retrieve his own pokéball, putting it away in his bag. All the children stood up, preparing themselves to rest up for their trip. It didn't take long for the boys to gather everyone up and get ready for their voyage back up to the trial grounds. This time, however, instead of leaving out Zorua, the blonde left out Rockruff.  
  
Much to the pup's confusion, of course. Hau noticed this, and glanced at Gladion curiously. "Oh, you're gonna take Rockruff for a walk today instead?" he asked. Gladion nodded, "Zorua and the others need some training, but I wanna help it get used to me. It's still shaken up." Hau's eyes widened a bit. "Ohhh, that makes sense! That's not a bad idea," he said, finally getting it. After their bags were packed, they both headed out the door. Litten treaded ahead of the boys, while Rockruff kept his distance just a few meters behind them.

 

* * *

  
The journey back through the thicker and more risky areas was much more lively today. There were a lot more wild pokémon out than usual. While Rockruff was more than eager to defend itself, Litten plowed through it's enemies with ease. Regardless, quite a bit of training was had for the boys's overall team due to the strangely frequent amount of wild pokémon. By the time they reached the trial sight, both boys had some twigs and leaves lodged in their hair. Half of Hau's team was fainted save for his Litten, Eevee, and Pikachu. And only one of Gladion's pokémon had suffered major injury.  
  
It was so overwhelming they had already exhausted all their potions and berries. When the boys finally caught sight of another Pokémon Center, they were incredibly relieved. "We finally made it...yeesh," Hau pouted. The older boy shook his head to snap himself out of his trance of exhaustion. "H-Hey, it looks like the trial site is just up ahead from here, too," he said, pointing to a cavern-like entrance not too far away from the Pokémon Center. Hau's eyes lit up as he grinned, "Oh, yeah! Awesome! This is perfect then, let's go inside and heal everybody."  
  
As they entered the Pokémon Center, they were once again surprised to find Moon lying in wait for them. Her Meowth and Popplio were mingling together. As soon as they set foot inside, she noticed, and pouted at them impatiently. "Well well well, if it ain't the two  _slowest_ Sliggoos this side of Alola," she snarked. Hau rubbed the back of his neck as he chuckled nervously, "S-Sorry about that, Moon. We got some eggs from the Breeding Center and we just wanted to hatch them before we kept moving. I already told ya what happened  _last_ time we tried travelling with an egg."  
  
"Yes, I suppose you did," she sighed, noting the Rockruff at Gladion's feet. "Oh, cute. A Rockruff. Is this one yours too, Gladion?" she asked, bending down to get a closer look. Her presence was met with hostility as it growled at her and backed away. The older boy pouted at his pokémon, "Rockruff, no! She's a friend. Just like Hau." Moon blinked, standing up straight as she crossed her arms. "Gee, what's  _his_ problem?" she huffed. Gladion gently bent down to pick up the Rockruff, who was still snapping and growling at her.  
  
"S-Sorry, he's not usually like this. He's still getting used to people," the older boy apologized, flustered. Hau rubbed his arm nervously, "We think it's mother was poached. It was really hurt when we found it, and it had some kind of torn up piece of net stuck to it." Moon's eyes widened. "Pokémon Poachers? That's awful! No wonder he doesn't like me..." she muttered. Rotom floated up to the trio, seeming curious about the boys, "Yo-o-ou guys look like a hot- Zzt! -mess! Were the roads on the way up rough for you?"   
  
"Yeah, maybe a little bit. It wasn't so rowdy  _yesterday_."  
  
"I hope all that pummeling you guys took helped make your pokémon stronger," Moon said.  
  
The blonde rolled his eyes, "I think I'll pass on battling  _you_. You're in a league even above  _Hau_." The ebony haired girl snickered in bemusement at this. She turned to Hau again, "Alright, well, make 'em nice and healthy! I've been waiting here for you guys  _forever_." Hau blushed in embarrassment. "Right, we'll um...go do that. I'll see you outside I guess," he said, heading off towards the counter. Moon smirked smugly at Gladion. "Sooo, you and Hau..." she said, gaining the blonde's attention instantly. Before she could continue however, he interjected.  
  
"Look, I don't really wanna bring him further into all this than I have to. I'm sorry for what happened on Melemele. It was my mistake, I-"  
  
"Chillax, ya friggin' emo! I was just gonna ask what you think about him."  
  
"I- ...What?"  
  
"You know...like, if you're used to him yet or whatever. You guys are pretty different, after all."  
  
"Yes, I suppose we are. I just trust him to keep his word."  
  
"Is  _that_ why you're traveling with him?"  
  
Burnet's words from just the other day echoed in his head. While he already had the answer to this, for some reason he still felt defensive about it. But why? What was to be so embarrassed over? Moon was trustworthy enough to know, unlike Burnet. Still, he found himself a flustered mess at the question. "I'm just...making sure he doesn't get himself killed or something," he sputtered. Moon picked up on this instantly.  _I knew it!_ she thought,  _He doesn't even wanna admit it. How adorable!_ "Are you suuuure that's all there is to it? I mean, with all the hand holding-"  
  
"I-I don't know what you're talking about," he snapped, pouting indignantly. He was still struggling to figure out why he was even acting like this. It was a simple question, it's not like the answer changed anything. Why was he so embarrassed? Moon too was pondering this. Though, she was much more amused than she was frustrated. Of course, she didn't mean to bully the boys. But a slight tease every now and then was quite entertaining. She just couldn't help herself. Rotom just stared on, confused to all this. Usually, he didn't understand these sorts of things.  
  
Unfortunately, Moon's fun was spoiled as Hau came back from the front desk. "Hey, I'm done with healing everyone. You can go heal all your pokémon now, I'm gonna stock up," he explained, heading for the shop. Moon rolled her eyes, sighing a bit loudly, "Well, I guess I'll be seeing you around. And keep on making sure he doesn't get himself killed. He is my rival, after all." With this, she called back her Meowth and exited through the front doors of the Pokémon Center. Gladion kept on pouting, still a little sour at her incessant teasing.  
  
He huffed, forcing himself to calm down as he called his Rockruff into it's ball. It didn't take long for everyone to be healed good as new. As he turned around, he was approached by Hau who suddenly seemed apprehensive. "Um...I just wanted to let you know that if you feel like things are getting too sketchy around here, you can go back to the hotel room," he said, seeming worried for Gladion. The older boy blushed a bit at this. For some reason, the idea sounded baffling to him. Why wouldn't he wait here for him? Hau would be back eventually, right?  
  
"N-No, I...I'll be fine. I'll wait here for you," he insisted. Hau raised a brow at this, before he beamed brightly. "Oh, ok! Thanks! I'll do my best." Gladion nodded, gripping his bag strap nervously as Hau and his Litten disappeared behind the front doors. He probably could've stood staring at that door for hours, if not for his restraint. Heading over to the café, he called out all his new companions save for his Null. They were still small, so he could spend time with them inside without much restriction. The Zubat perched on his shoulder, while Eevee and Zorua sat on the table.  
  
Rockruff kept on the floor, still apprehensive and cautious. The Eevee scratched behind it's ear, as Zorua barked at it to communicate with it. They talked back and forth, before Zorua's stomach suddenly growled loudly. The noise prompted a sweat drop out of the Eevee, alongside it's master and the Zubat. The Rockruff started growling, perceiving it to be a threat as it couldn't tell where it came from. The blonde smiled nervously, "I'll just...get you guys some food. I'm sure you must be starving after all your hard work today."  
  
Sternly, he looked at Rockruff with a slight glare. "Don't. Move. And don't start trouble," he ordered. The Rockruff huffed, but sat down to indicate it's understanding. Zubat remained perched on his shoulder as he went up to the bar to order. "Hello there young man, what can I do ya for today?" the bartender asked. Gladion couldn't see a sign detailing any specials, "Do you have a special today?" The man nodded, "There's a special everyday. Today we're serving Gateau. Are you interested?" Gladion nodded, "I'll take 4. And a Tapu Cocoa, please."  
  
It didn't take long for his order to ring up, though he did struggle slightly getting all the snacks to his table. Thankfully, he managed without dropping or breaking anything. Placing 3 of the plates on the table, he bent down and put the 4th on the floor beside the Rockruff. The Eevee sniffed at it curiously, before licking it. The Zorua had already begun digging into the treat viciously, and Gladion wiped a stray piece of food from his face as it flew off the pokémon's plate. He pouted, before handing the Zubat it's own Gateau.  
  
The Rockruff was still sniffing at it's Gateau uncertainly. Gladion rolled his eyes at it, "For the last time, it's  _not_ poisoned. Just eat it. It's good for you." The Rockruff returned his pout with one of it's own. For a moment, it was an intense stare down for the ages. Suddenly though, the Rockruff gave in and bit into the Gateau. Chewing slowly, it seemed to be processing the taste. Then, it's tail wagged as it quietly continued digging into the delicacy. Gladion rested his cheek in his hand as he watched. "Told you," he cooed.  
  
It didn't take long for Zorua and Rockruff to finish their meals. Eevee, however, insisted on being delicate and slow. Almost as if being careful not to choke on any bite it took. Gladion just quietly sipped at his Cocoa, still holding up the Zubat's Gateau so it could eat. After 20 minutes, all 4 of them had finished eating their food and the blonde was halfway through his drink. The Eevee and Zorua were like polar opposite images, the Zorua's face covered in frosting and bread crumbs, while the Eevee hardly had even a small pinch of cream on it's face.  
  
It had been careful to lick any stray stains away. Rockruff was much the same as Zorua, though significantly less brutal. Gladion pouted, "Alright, everybody on the table. I have to clean this up," he ordered. Zubat perched itself on the table, as Gladion picked up the pup pokémon and placed on Eevee's other side. Once he pulled out some napkins, he immediately went to work on Zorua. "Seriously, you're supposed to eat it, not tear it up," he scolded, but the Zorua only barked back happily in response. He was still a little too young to quite get it.  
  
The Eevee had already batted off any remaining crumbs off with it's paw, and the Zubat's wide mouth was unable to allow for it to lick away any excess. The blonde swiftly took care of this though, moving onto the Rockruff quickly who at first protested. But like with all things, it just gave in after a stern look. It's battles alongside the older boy had given it a more broad perspective. Despite still being cross with him for capturing it, it had a better understanding now of it's trainer's resolve. Of course, it helped to interact with some of it's battle partners as well.  
  
Once everyone was cleaned up, Gladion moved Rockruff back onto the floor, and Zubat returned to it's cozy spot on his shoulder. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, as he suddenly moved Eevee onto the floor as well. It stared up at him curiously, a little uneased to be put next to a "ruffian" in it's own opinion. "You should keep it quiet, but do you mind showing me what it is you can do? Most pokémon know 1 or 2 moves from birth," he explained. The Eevee pondered this for a long moment. For some reason, it  _could_ recall how to perform a couple of moves.  
  
Turning to the expectant Rockruff, it sat down and lifted up it's paws. The Rockruff tilted it's head for a moment, before the Eevee spoke up. "Vee. Vee vee, eevee," it spoke, still soft and quiet. The Rockruff suddenly sat, lifting it's own paws up. Slowly, and still seeming to direct the Rockruff, the Eevee began making alternating motions with it's paws. The spectacle resembled a game Gladion used to play with his sister when they were younger called "Patty Cake". Eventually, after 2 or 3 tries, the Rockruff seemed to understand the motions.  
  
Gladion had to admit, he didn't really know this move in particular. He pouted, thinking how useful it would've been for Moon's Rotom to have stuck around at least. If anybody would know, it was definitely him. Suddenly, the Rockruff shivered, feeling slightly more powerful than it did before, it jumped to it's feet, chasing it's own tail in complete confusion and adrenaline. While he didn't know what the move was, Gladion could easily tell now what it's purpose was. "I see...you can give your allies a boost. What else can you do?" he asked.  
  
"Vee," it said, before standing back up on it's legs and letting out a low and menacing growl. The Rockruff was off-put by the sound, and forced to pay attention to the Eevee once again. The sound made it much more nervous, and it sweat a bit as it stepped back. The adrenaline rush seemed to have been completely cancelled out. The blonde definitely recognized this move, "So you have Growl, too. Anything physical?" The Eevee nodded, turning to the single leg of the table before tackling it with minimum effort. As not to knock anything or any _one_ off of it.  
  
"Wow, you know a lot. When we start your training, you might just do best in a setting that requires aid," he theorized. Part of him didn't quite register he was doing this out loud, though. The Eevee nodded, hopping up into it's parent trainer's lap and curling up into a ball. He smiled again, and was about to pet it when it suddenly sat up and twitched it's ears. "Vee vee...?" it muttered, looking towards the Pokémon Center's entrance. Gladion looked up, and he completely froze.  
  
Everyone in the building was much the same. Staring with either horrified looks, or disgusted glares. At the entrance stood a slouching and obscenely dressed Skull Gang recruit, with his chubby black Raticate. Quietly, Gladion began calling his companions back into their balls, hiding away the youngest first. He had just gotten his Zubat put away, before the grunt noticed him moving. "Hey! Don't move, dickhead!" he shouted, crassly. Gladion's hand was still on Rockruff's pokéball when he froze again.  
  
He simply complied, not wanting to be recognized. The grunt turned to look at everyone else carefully. Nobody dared to move. "Alright, here's the deal. I've got a whole squad outside if y'all wanna do this the hard way. Just hand over your pokémon nice and easy, and  _maybe_ I won't have Raticate here smash this place up," he demanded. A certain young boy who was accompanied by a Munchlax stepped forward. "No way! These are  _our_ pokémon, not yours! Get lost!" he shouted.  
  
The grunt snapped his fingers, and instead of going after the Munchlax, his Raticate pounced on the boy instead. The child cried out in fear, but nothing happened. He looked up to see Raticate on top of him, it's viscous teeth snapping in close proximity to him. Everyone else gasped, but didn't dare move for fear it would provoke the grunt or the Raticate further. The only one who attempted to act was the boy's Munchlax, who was swiftly knocked out with a flick of the Raticate's tail.  
  
"Anybody  _else_ wanna challenge me?"  
  
At this point, the blonde was frozen in place. Normally, Hau would be here to do something. He had never considered a grunt let alone a posse of them attempting something like this. He tried to think. Nobody else was going to dare do anything. But  _somebody_ had to. If he did nothing, he'd feel even more guilty. But what  _was_ he to do? He'd be recognized, surely. His pokémon definitely couldn't stand up to that Raticate. They were all still too weak. All of them, except...  
  
Gladion shook his head.  _No...! I can't pull him out into the open...! It's too much of a risk!_ he thought. Suddenly, his Rockruff began chewing at his socks to get his attention. He looked down at the small pup. Rockruff gave him a strange look, it was all it could do without alerting the grunt. It took the blonde a moment, but eventually he realized what Rockruff was trying to say. He shook his head again, standing up and pushing his chair back as he put his hands on the table.  
  
"Hey! Leave that kid alone!"  
  
"What'd you say?"  
  
The grunt turned to look at him again, glaring daggers at him. Gladion sweat a bit, but he didn't let his nerve show. "You think you can just come in here and bully people into doing whatever you want? Leave that kid alone and beat it!" Gladion demanded. The grunt looked Gladion over for a moment, before his eyes popped a bit. "Say...I know you. You're that kid the boss is lookin' for!" Rockruff growled, as Gladion's hands clenched up from his anxiety. However, the grunt suddenly pulled down his mask and whistled.  
  
This prompted the Raticate to jump off the boy, and return to it's master's side. Gladion raised a brow at this, as did everyone else. "You know...I'm  _supposed_ to beat your ass and take that special pokémon you've got. But I think I'd rather fight it instead. So howzabout it, brat?" he said. The offer had Gladion completely taken aback.  _He...wants to fight my Null?_ he thought. His confusion was overshadowed quickly by his nerve again as he could no longer keep up his mask.  
  
"I...I can't do it. Not here."  
  
"...Oh, I see. You don't want nobody to see it, huh? Makes sense with how hush-hush all this is...kind of like you  _stole_ that pokémon."  
  
"I didn't  _steal_ it...I  _freed_ it."  
  
"Theft, freedom, same difference. If you let me fight it, I'll leave empty handed."  
  
He was trapped in a corner now. At this rate, there was no way he'd be able to refuse if he didn't wanna end up just some embarrassing excuse for a bystander. But if he complied, the Aether Foundation would find him for sure. Or at least they'd be onto his location. And that was most certainly bad news.  _Dammit...what would Hau do?_ he wondered. Once again, his Rockruff bit at his ankle to get his attention, and they shared another long look. The Rockruff left out a soft woof as it kept on staring at it's master with sad, worried eyes.  
  
A strange feeling began washing over Gladion. Something he had felt the  _last_ time he had a run in with the Skull Gang. That he had felt in the cave when Hau was knocked out. He still wasn't sure what it was, but he knew every time he had acted on it, things had worked out just as Hau always promised him they would. He nodded, a determined look crossing his face. He turned to look at the grunt, scowling fiercely, "I accept your terms. And don't try to back down on it, or you'll regret it."  
  
The grunt scoffed, as Gladion hesitantly called back his Rockruff and took out his Luxury Ball. He stared down at it nervously. He sighed, "Forgive me for this, Null." Hesitantly, he held out the ball as he called out his companion. "Null, lend me your strength!" With great confusion and much anticipation from the surrounding bystanders, the pokéball flew open and a light escaped to release the creature inside. Everyone murmured in confusion and awe as Null came into view.  
  
It instantly noticed it wasn't in the hotel room, and looked back at it's companion with confusion. It could tell right away that Gladion was stressed. So the weight of being thrown into the spotlight was lifted greatly. Turning to observe it's opponents, it scowled. It remembered the way Pichu and Litten described the offending hooligans who almost shattered Zorua's egg. The grunt it saw much resembled the description, but it was definitely a different person from the two they were referring to.  
  
It grunted, signaling that it was fully ready to defend it's companion. Gladion nodded, still hesitating as he gave out his first order, "Null, Metal Sound!" Null nodded, scraping it's gargantuan claws against the cold floors of the Pokémon Center. Everyone instinctively covered their ears, including the grunt. The Raticate, however, was rattled by ear-wrenching sound. It screeched, shaking it's head to regain it's focus. It growled, as it's trainer issued it's first verbal order, "Hyper Fang!"  
  
The Null was unable to dodge as the large rat sunk it's teeth into it's side. It grunted in pain, attempting to kick the creature off but failing. "Null, use Metal Sound again to distract it!" Once again, Null dug it's claws into the floor and the Raticate's grip came loose as it was rattled by the sound again. The blonde acted quickly, "Now, use Air Slash!" The Null rose up on it's hind legs a little, slicing into the air with it's claws and creating a strange effect similar to a shock wave that knocked the Raticate back.  
  
"Cate!" it cried, rolling back until it flopped onto it's belly. It quickly pulled itself back up, though it seemed significantly damaged by the blow. Gladion was already planning his next move, trying hard to remember Null's other moves. He could only remember bits and pieces vaguely. It seemed the boat crash had rattled little more than just his memories of the crash itself. He tried hard to think. Before he could hope to come up with something, though, the grunt made his counter attack.  
  
"Assurance!"  
  
The Raticate leapt forward, smacking the Null with one of it's hands and dealing quite a bit of damage in the process. The Null stumbled back, prompting Gladion to gasp in panic. Was he already weakened? The Null shook it's head, grunting with determination. This eased Gladion's nerves a bit, as he took a deep breath. He stared at his opponent nervously. He tried to wrack his brain to remember the move, but he just couldn't.  _Dammit...! What was it?!_ he struggled.  
  
The Null grunted to gain his attention, and it worked like a charm. They stared at each other for a long time, before Null gave him a sad look. His eyes widened, as he remembered the day they had escaped together. Those words that haunted him repeated over and over in his head. Then, something  _else_ he remembered began to surface alongside them. A glimpse he caught of something on a PC as he left the room he had taken the Nulls from.   
  
Suddenly, his resolve hardened as the answer came to him. The grunt glared at him, "What's the matter? Gettin' cold feet?" Gladion returned his glare with one of his own. Without even addressing the grunt, he pointed right at his Raticate. With no hesitation left in his voice, he the order he knew would be the last. "Null, Crush Claw..." he commanded. Null raised up it's claws, and slashed into the Raticate mercilessly with it's claws. The Raticate cried out in pain, the attack greatly damaging it.  
  
Everyone stared on in disbelief, as the Raticate hit the floor with a loud thud. As soon as it landed, it was clear that it could no longer battle. It had been easily defeated. Gladion's eyes glinted, as suddenly his previous anxiety and shot nerves seemed to settle. The grunt whined, "Aw man! No way! That was total bogus!" The nurse behind the desk scowled, "You lost! You better hold up your end of the bargain and scram, you hear?!" The grunt growled, calling back his Raticate with irritation.  
  
"This. Ain't. Over. The boss is gonna be hearin' about this, brat!"  
  
They could only watch on as he turned tail and ran off. Gladion sighed in relief, though it didn't last long as he realized what he had just done. Null nuzzled him, pulling him out of it temporarily. The blonde mustered a weak smile, petting Null gently and hugging it. "I'm sorry, Null...I know that wasn't easy for you..." he whispered. The Null just kept on nuzzling his head, trying it's best to convey that it wasn't cross with him. Despite his victory, he couldn't help but feel helpless all the same.  
  
The boy and his Munchlax suddenly approached them, gaining both their attentions. Gladion stared down at the kid curiously. The boy twiddled with his thumbs nervously, before meeting the older boy's eyes. "Sir, thank you for helping me back there. S-Sorry you had to pull out your special pokémon," he said. Gladion's eyes widened a bit, before he solemnly glanced at his Null again. "No, it's ok...I couldn't just stand by and do nothing," he assured. The boy's look suddenly became a pout as he seemed to glare.  
  
"Th-that guy's a jerk! And you're a hero! I swear, I won't tell nobody I saw your pokémon, sir!"  
  
The sudden declaration shocked both Gladion  _and_ Null. They certainly weren't expecting such a reaction. Yet Gladion had to admit, he completely appreciated the seemingly insignificant gesture. Very few people had offered Gladion this luxury of trust so far. And yet, it was for that reason he also doubted this deep down. Either way, he was at a loss for words. His jaw had completely dropped. Suddenly, a woman standing by the shop chimed in as well.  
  
"I-I won't either! If those Skull punks are after your pokémon, I won't let nobody hear a peep!"  
  
"You're really cool! I'll keep my lips sealed, dude!"  
  
"Your secret is safe with me."  
  
Gladion couldn't help but smile, petting Null's neck gently. "Th-thank you all, really. I just...wanted to do the right thing, I suppose," he muttered. The small boy nodded, smiling at Gladion's null brightly. "Thanks a lot! You're real cool!" The Null nodded, though it seemed embarrassed by all the flattery. Without wasting another moment, the blonde quickly called it back into it's ball before anyone else entered the Pokémon Center. He sighed once again with relief, calling out all his smaller pokémon who were undoubtedly worried sick.  
  
And, as he predicted, they all immediately pounced on him, chittering nervously. Especially Eevee, being the loudest it had been all day since it had hatched. Gladion bent down, calmly and gently reassuring everyone that everything was alright. Once they had calmed, he took another deep breath. "Why don't we just...hang out, for a bit?" he offered, turning to look at Rockruff who for once actually seemed worried for it's master. They shared a look again, before Gladion spoke up again.  
  
"So...maybe we should start with everything you  _don't_ like."

 

* * *

  
The sun was leaning closer and closer to crossing against the opposite horizon once again. It had been a few hours now, but his constant company kept him feeling much less anxious than he probably would have before. Eevee was once again curled up in Gladion's lap, while Zorua and Rockruff were playing rough with each other on the floor. Zubat was perched on the blonde's shoulder again, watching the bout boredly. He didn't notice, but he had been smiling for quite a while now.  
  
The Eevee's head lifted up again, as it sensed someone enter the Pokémon Center. Gladion noticed this, and looked up to see who it was. To his surprise, it was Hau, who instantly spotted Gladion and waved at him eagerly. Eevee hopped off Gladion's lap, attempting to get Zorua and Rockruff to quit their sparring. Gladion stood up, and was about to approach when he noticed a large feline stride in behind Hau. It looked almost exactly like Litten, but...it was taller, for one thing.  
  
It's face was more defined now, and it's whiskers were much larger. Rather than a constant bored look, it wore a smug smirk. The red stripes on it's head had come larger was well, even extending into a hair that stuck out between it's ears. It's tail now had red stripes to match the ones on it's legs, which were now red like most of it's lower body. A single extended patch of black remained on it's back, though still tainted with a similar red marking to the one on it's face.   
  
To top it all off, it appeared to be sporting a black collar with a flaming orb for a bell. Hau approached with his pokémon, chuckled at Gladion's shocked look. "Caught you by surprise, huh? Litten sure got an upgrade during the trial!" Hau beamed. Gladion shook his head, forcing himself to focus. "W-Wait, that's Litten? It  _evolved_?" Hau nodded, "Yup! He's a Torracat now! Of course, he's still stuck-up and full of itself...but it's gotten  _pretty_ strong." Gladion blinked, as the Torracat turned it's nose up snidely.  
  
"W-Well...I guess...it was bound to happen eventually," the older boy muttered. Hau glanced down at the pokémon who were still arguing amongst each other. "Was...everything alright while I was gone? It looks like you guys have been having fun," Hau asked. The question made Gladion sneer as he began to feel nervous again. Hau noticed his change in demeanor quickly and began to panic. "Hanini? Is everything ok?" he probed again. Gladion sighed, unable to take his eyes away from his companion's as he spoke.  
  
"Hau, I...I made a bit of a mistake. I-I'm sorry to put you at risk like this, I just-"  
  
"Hey, slow down. What happened?"  
  
"...Someone from the Skull Gang came in here and tried to shake down everybody for their pokémon."  
  
"Oh my Arceus...! Did he recognize you?!" Hau panicked. He  _knew_ it was a bad idea to leave Gladion alone! Anymore close calls like this, and eventually the jig had to be up. Their luck would only run so far. But still, he was here...so perhaps things didn't go  _so_ rocky, right? "Not at  _first_..." Gladion admitted, rubbing his arm nervously. Hau raised a brow at this. "What do you mean?" Despite asking, he was already piecing together what it was Gladion meant.  
  
"I...I couldn't just stand back. He was threatening to hurt a kid who stood up to him. A-And...when I called him out, he recognized me and asked to fight my Null in exchange for leaving."  
  
"No way...why would he wanna fight it?"  
  
"I have no idea. He even said he knew that his boss wanted him to bring it in."  
  
"So...what happened?"  
  
"...I complied. And I beat him easily with Null. Null isn't as strong as he used to be, but he's still a lot more powerful than most pokémon. It was over with quickly."  
  
Hau looked down, guilt washing over him once again. "I...I'm sorry you had to do that," he apologized. Gladion bit his lower lip. Even with the generous guarantees from the bystanders, including the nurse, he still felt uneasy. He glanced to his pokémon, before look at Hau again. "Listen, things might get really dangerous here with me around. M-Maybe...Maybe I should just go. I'll be fine taking my chances now that I have my own pokémon. Maybe if I'm farther away from you, they won't-"  
  
"NO!"  
  
The sudden reaction caused Gladion to flinch in surprise. His eyes were wide as he stared at Hau. Hau stared back, his eyes seeming to be filled with hurt. The sudden shout caught the attention of the children pokémon who instantly broke out of their argument. Even Zubat seemed off-put by the sudden yell. Hau bit his own lip, looked down shamefully. He didn't mean to outburst like that. But Gladion's words were so sudden and they scared him. He wasn't ready for Gladion to leave him yet.  
  
"Hau?"  
  
"S-Sorry, Hanini. I just...I don't care. Even if the Aether Foundation comes to get me, I don't  _care_."  
  
"But Hau-"  
  
"You trust me, don't you?"  
  
"O-Of course I do!"  
  
"Then trust me when I say that we'll be  _fine_. I won't let  _anyone_ take you away. And nobody is gonna hurt  _me_ , either."  
  
Hau grabbed Gladion's hand again, causing his face to flush slightly. Though it wasn't enough to be noticeable. Slowly, Gladion's scared look hardened into something new. Something Hau had never seen before. It was almost like...he had faith in him. Gladion gripped his hand tightly, nodding slowly. "...Ok. We'll do this together then," he promised. Hau nodded, smiling widely to comfort his companion. The blonde quickly called back all his pokémon save for Rockruff, as they began for the door.  
  
Deep down the older boy was still nervous. However could he not be, after all? There was no denying that even if this incident didn't reach the Aether Foundation lackeys, Guzma and his goons would be watching for him now. And who knew what would happen, then? As he glanced back to look at the nurse behind the desk, she lifted up her hand and moved her fingers across her lips in a zipping motion, just before waving to bid him farewell. Even though it was insignificant, it made him feel just a little bit less frightened of the future that was ahead of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey is that a Galor reference in the title? >w>
> 
> By the way, thank you guys for letting me know Golisopod is actually an _isopod_ not an arthropod. I don't know bug stuff, they spoop me ;w; (Haha it's the name you dumb binch)


	29. Chapter 28 - The Lunar Eclipse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After just finishing Lana's Trial, Moon sets off to check out a temple she heard about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special treat for y'all, a Moon exclusive! Enjoy!

_"I...I'm gonna be a trainer! And I won't be a dummy like that boy! I'll be the best pokémon trainer **ever** , even better than daddy!"_

 

 

 

 

 _  
_ Moon was already on her way back to the city. She had just parted ways with Hau, and she had passed her trial with flying colors. Just like Hau's Litten had evolved into quite the dashing feline, her Meowth too, had evolved. Now taking on the appearance of a mountain lion, it had a round head, and it's ears were much rounder and larger than before. It had a cute nose, and a couple of extra whiskers. To top it all off, it's gold coin was now replaced with much more classy looking blue gem.  
  
It was a lot more prideful than it was before now. And it most certainly had a couple issues with it's fur being splashed by water. But somehow, Moon managed. Sporting her newly evolved Persian, she was heading down the path that was still blocked off by a couple of Sudowoodo. The boy she had seen there before was still standing around, still watching the two. As she approached, the boy's eyes lit up. He recognized her well enough, but the Persian was a certainly new sight for him to see.  
  
"Wow! Cool, your Meowth evolved! Does that mean you passed Lana's trial?"  
  
Moon nodded, "Sure did, short stuff." Taking out her newly earned Waterium Z and flashing it, she didn't notice the Sudowoodo start to shift nervously. The boy seemed even more impressed. "Wow! That's so cool!" he said. Turning to look at the pokémon still standing in her way, she huffed. "So are you bozos gonna move, or what?" To he surprise, suddenly they took a step back from her, before turning tail and running like madmen. Or in this case, mad pokémon.  
  
The kid giggled, "Uh oh! I think they got intimidated by your crystal!" Moon blinked, before putting the crystal back in her bag and shrugging. "Well, guess there's a first time for everything," she muttered, before patting the kid on the head with a smile. "Hey, scamp, do me a favor and try not to get to close to big pokémon like that. Wild pokémon are a  _little_ unpredictable," she asked. The boy nodded, and Moon took this cue to head back on her path towards the city.  
  
"Rotom, gimme the map, we've got a new shortcut."  
  
"Registering...registering...registering...Update complete! Zzt! We are now on Route 6! There a-a-are 4 exits on this route in a-a-all directions!"  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"The North exit is Route 5!"  
  
"Yeah, I knew that, genius. What are the  _new_ exits?"  
  
Rotom nodded, "Right, sorry Moon. The West exit leads to- Zzt! -Paniola Town. It is a shortcut. To the So-o-outh is our destination, Heahea City. And to the East, i-i-is the bustling market center and tourist attraction of Royal Avenue."  
  
Moon raised a brow at this, turning to look at Rotom, who was displaying the new route on his screen. She grabbed him, taking a closer look at the exit he was indicating. "Tourist Attraction? What's it got?" she asked, intrigued. Rotom beeped, a loading screen replacing the map for a brief moment before a bunch pictures began flashing on the screen. Moon's eyes lit up, taken aback by the lovely sights of the photographs. As the pictures kept popping up, Rotom began his explanation.  
  
"This street has  _many_ attractions. Zzt! Such as the Thri-i-ifty Megamart, a Malasada Shop, a lovely garden area where people can take pictures, a convenient Pokémon Center, and the most popular attraction- Zzt! -the Ba-a-attle Royal Dome. The epicenter of a new type of battling, in which up to 4 trainers can duke it out against one another in a professional ring! Zzt!"  
  
"Woah...!  _Awesome_!"  
  
"Should I change our course for Royal Avenue?" Rotom asked, a question mark tilting back and forth on his screen.  
  
Moon pondered this for a moment. She most certainly  _had_ to check this place out. How could she not, after all? It sounded quite literally right up her alley. However, she still had her current sights set on checking out a temple she had heard about. Then, another thought occurred to her. Knowing the boys, they were definitely going to be lollygagging for a while before they caught up to her again. Which meant it was probably best she kill some time before her next trial rather than wait for them again.  
  
Then an idea popped in her head. This Royal Avenue was  _definitely_ something interesting. A place where she could battle with not just a single trainer, but 3 all at once! There was no  _way_ she could pass up the opportunity to go against the boys. But first, they would have to catch up to her. And she would probably explode if she waited in this bustling avenue for too long. Besides, she was starting to want to start sharing her experiences with them. And nothing sounded quite better than spending a day goofing off with her friends in this place.  
  
She smirked, before shaking her head. "Nah, schedule it for tomorrow. I'm gonna check this place out later when the boys are around." Rotom nodded, flying out of her hands and pulling the map back up. "Alright then, zzt! Our course to Heahea Ci-i-ity is to the South!" Moon nodded, continuing down the path back to Heahea City. She noticed some grass patches around, and looked into her purse to find she still had a few pokéballs. She looked to Rotom again curiously.  
  
"Hey, Rotom. Pull up some reports of wild pokémon in this area."  
  
"Yo-o-ou got it, chief! Zzt!"  
  
A loading screen popped up again, before Rotom flashed a couple of articles on his screen that included blurry photos. "There's a couple of pokémon in here I don't recognize in my data, zzt! Want to try looking for them?" he asked. Moon nodded, stepping into the tall grass with her Persian. She looked around for a few minutes, before Persian's tail began swaying strangely. It seemed to be staring at something. She noticed this, turning to address her pokémon. "What is it, buddy? Find something?"  
  
The Persian mewed lowly, gesturing it's head towards a particularly tall patch of grass. Out of the top stuck 2 pointed ears. Or at least, that's what Moon assumed they were. There was no way to tell how large the creature was. "Use Feint Attack, but be gentle. It might be as small as it looks, but I'm not sure..." she muttered. The Persian nodded, darting forward and swiping at the creature with one of it's paws. The attack knocked it out into the open, and Moon's eyes widened.   
  
"An...Eevee?"  
  
The attack damaged it greatly, but thankfully, it wasn't too close to passing out. It pulled itself back up, glaring at the Persian. Moon thought it was safe to say it probably wasn't too pleased with being smacked so hard. She giggled nervously, calling back her Persian and swapping out her Popplio, "M-Maybe sit this one out for now, buddy..." Popplio barked excitedly, eager for another round after it's trial with Moon. The Eevee darted forward, tackling the Popplio aggressively.  
  
The sea-lion was damaged, but not out, as it shook off the blow when it landed. "Ar!" it cried, as Moon prepared her next attack. "Bubble!" she commanded. The Eevee was hit with a few exploding bubbles, rendering it much weaker than it was before. It seemed to be holding on by a thread to stand up, but it was definitely still able to defend itself. Moon acted quickly. She had gotten the hang of this sort of thing by now, and while most of the pokémon she caught weren't in her party, she had a knack for it.  
  
Tossing a pokéball at the struggling Eevee, it was instantly sucked up into it. It wobbled for a couple seconds, before it clicked with success. Rotom's screen instantly displayed another loading screen. "Processing...processing...processing...Registration complete!" he cheered as Moon picked up the pokéball. Displaying it's image on his screen, along with all it's information, Rotom seemed incredibly pleased with the addition to his database. Moon looked over the information, intrigued.  
  
"Eevee, the Evolution Pokémon! This pokémon first surfaced in- Zzt! -the popular region of Kanto, and is an enigma even among science. Current studies show it can evolve into an incredible e-e-eight different species of Pokémon! Zzt!"  
  
" _8_ species?! It has  _8_ stages?!"  
  
"No, don't be silly! You see, an Eevee's DNA is incredibly u-u-unstable. A single Eevee can o-o-only evolve once, but the possibilities are vast. It can react to all sorts of things in the environment, e-e-even the bond it has with it's trainer influences it's final appearance!"  
  
"W-Woah...that's awesome! I  _definitely_ gotta keep this one, then."  
  
"Huzza-a-ah! A new addition- Zzt! -to the party!"  
  
Moon nodded, putting the pokéball into her bag for safe keeping. She turned to her Popplio, "C'mon Popplio! Let's get going! We can stop by the Pokémon Center in Heahea before we head out for the shrine." The Popplio nodded, waddling beside it's trainer happily as they continued down the path. Thankfully, it didn't take long for the trio to make back into Heahea, and they quickly made their way to the Pokémon Center down the street. Once everyone was healed up, she called them out, including her new Eevee.  
  
She began feeding them all pokébeans, starting with Popplio and Persian as reward for their hard work. Then, once she got to the Eevee, she stared at it for a moment. "Hmm...what kind of bean would  _you_ like?" she pondered. Reaching into her small satchel, she found a bean that was brightly colored like a rainbow. She smiled, "Perfect." Handing the pokébean over to her new tiny companion, it sniffed at it before chowing down vigorously. Just the scent had the adorable little puffball's tail wagging.  
  
She giggled, "Wow! Either that's the best pokébean I've got or you're  _really_ hungry." As soon as the Eevee was finished, it instantly began nuzzling her leg and cooing affectionately. She blinked. Perhaps the bean had set off some kind of reaction. She smiled again, petting it gently and scratching it in all the right places. She also had knack for this sort of thing by now. Once she was finished giving everyone a good pat on the head, she called back everyone but the Eevee, who seemed excited to travel alongside it's new master.  
  
Making their way out of the Pokémon Center, Moon headed back up the street towards a cave entrance she had passed. Rotom beeped again, information buzzing into his database as they stood before the gaping entrance. "Di-i-iglett's Tunnel. This tunnel was dug out entirely by a group of Diglett. It leads to Route 9, but it's incredibly hard to traverse." Moon smirked, putting a hand on her hip as she glanced down at her Eevee, "You know, I was gonna put on some repellent, but how about we get some training in before we head down to the Shrine?"  
  
The Eevee nodded, "Eevee!" Moon turned to Rotom again, "Keep my course set for the Shrine. We're gonna do some training for a bit before we keep moving." Rotom nodded, and the trio entered the cave cautiously. As soon as they stepped inside, they could clearly see bits of dirt being uprooted from countless Diglett moving about under the dirt. And of course, there were several Zubat hanging from the cave ceiling. She looked to Rotom again, "So lemme guess, most reports sighted Diglett, right?"  
  
Rotom nodded, "Mmhm! There's so-o-ome blurry pictures of another pokémon in here in a couple articles, though." Moon raised a brow at this. However, she quickly shrugged it off, still confident she could handle it. "Alright, well, where do you wanna start, Eevee?" The Eevee smirked, pouncing on one of the moving mounds of dirt. As it did so, a head popped out of it, a stubby looking creature with a large nose and small yellow hairs sticking out at the top of it's head.  
  
Moon smirked, "Alright then...let's get this party started!"  


* * *

  
The trio were now resting, all of them covered in dirt and a couple of scratches. Save for Rotom, whom only had a patch of dirt tainting his screen. Moon was exhausted, but she still took a rag out of her purse to clean off the mud. Rotom beeped with gratitude. "Tha-a-anks, Moon. It sure has been a long afternoon," he said. Moon nodded, leaning her head back against the wall she was sat up against. "You can say  _that_ again, but at least Eevee's gotten some training in."  
  
"I wo-o-onder what she'll look li-i-ike when she's  _really_ big and strong!"  
  
"Who knows...I think an Ice Type would be real  _cool_."  
  
"Tha-a-at was terrible, Moon. Zzt!"  
  
"I know."  
  
They sat in silence for a moment. Rotom began shuffling through his database of the pokémon they had encountered that day. Including a Larvitar, which is what rendered them the most tired from their afternoon of training. It was definitely a lot stronger than the Diglett and Zubats. Suddenly, Rotom spoke up again as he turned to Moon. "Say, Mo-o-oon, you're pretty good at this," Rotom stated, for what must've been the hundredth time since they met. Moon rolled her eyes, "Don't be an ass-kisser."  
  
"N-No no! I meant...I'm rather interested. You take your training so seriously. And you were even able to go toe-to-toe with the Skull Gang! Zzt! Trainers like you don't happen everyday, you know. Whatever made you wanna become such an experienced trainer?"  
  
Moon's eyes widened, as bits of memories started to flash back and forth in her head. Lots of voices ran through her head, lots of things she had heard and said repeated themselves over and over again. The question was so simple. Yet she had almost forgotten the answer. It had been so long since she talked to anyone about what happened to her family. What brought her and her mother here in the first place. Rotom's question sunk into the back of her head as she kept remembering these things.  
  
_"-The victim's parents are filing a lawsuit, against the victim's wishes. During an on-call interview we had with the victim, he had **this** to say..."  
  
"Honey, what're you watching?"  
_  
_"O-Oh! Nothing mom, d-don't worry about it!"  
  
"I've decided it's time that we...start out fresh. Maybe a new region would be good for you. After all, I do wanna support your dream, sweetie."  
_  
_"Hey, sorry to hear about your dad. You don't have to play Mock Battles with us if you don't wanna..."  
  
"What do you mean...? What happened to him? Why isn't he coming home?!"  
  
_Moon shook her head, biting back tears that pricked at her eyes. Her face turned dark, as did her tone. "...It's...not important." Rotom beeped, as his screen flashed with a question mark, "Are...you ok, Moon?" The Eevee nuzzled it's trainer's hip for comfort, and Moon pet it gently as thanks. She sighed. "I don't really like talking about it. It was a long time ago..." she muttered. Rotom could only stare on, unable to understand Moon's struggle. The question mark disappeared, as a frowning mouth replaced it.  
  
"O-O-Okay...sorry if I made you upset. Zzt!"  
  
"No...it's ok."  
  
She smiled pathetically, still stroking her Eevee's back. Moving off the conversation, she began wiping down her Eevee until the dirt was all gone. Once it was clean, she began spraying away it's wounds with the potions she had on hand. She looked in her satchel of pokébeans once again, handing a less colorful one that looked like it had flower patterns on it to the Eevee. It chowed down it happily, nuzzling Moon's leg after it was finished as a sign of gratitude.   
  
"So-o-o, what were you talking about with Gladion earlier?" Rotom chimed, suddenly. Moon raised a brow at him. Then, she remembered what he was referring to. "Oh, that? I was just teasing him," she admitted. Rotom's screen flashed yet another question mark as he tried to understand. "Teasing? Zzt!" Moon sneered. Of course he didn't get what she meant. She rolled her eyes and huffed. "So you don't notice how cuddly those boys act with each other, huh?" she guessed.  
  
The Rotom tilted itself to the side, as if to simulate tilting it's head, "You mean like how they hold hands?" Moon nodded, "Yup. Exactly that. I mean, you saw Hau's reaction to passing his Grand Trial." Rotom did in fact remember it well. Although, he did only just chalk it up to excitement. Wasn't that a normal reaction to have? "Ye-e-es. What's so strange about it?" Moon rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Geez, you just don't get it," she whined, pouting slightly. Rotom shrugged, "Guess I don't. Zzt!"   
  
Moon took a deep breath, before she continued, "Oh forget it. Not that it's important, anyways." The Rotom floated in front of her again, seeming anxious. "N-N-No! Tell me! I- Zzt! -am curious about human nature as well!" he insisted. Moon thought about it for a moment, before she decided to cave. She stood up, prompting Eevee to do the same. "Alright, but let's walk and talk," she ordered, as she began heading for the exit just ahead of them. Rotom floated alongside her, as Eevee trotted happily along.  
  
"Well, first off, there's a little something us humans call 'A crush'."  
  
"What's tha-a-at? Zzt!"  
  
"It's when one human starts  _really_ liking  _another_ human. Kind of like friendship but like...a little more... _intense_."  
  
"I see. So how- Zzt! -does 'A crush' work?"  
  
"It's basically when you feel real fuzzy and gushy around someone. You do things like...hold hands," she said, holding up a finger. Rotom's screen flickered with a bunch of boxes, as one of them was checked off with a green check mark. "Check! Zzt!" She smirked, putting up another finger as she continued, "Gaze into each other's eyes for long periods of time." Another box was checked off, "Check! Zzt!" A third finger now as she kept listing things off, "Acting all flustered and worried when the other person is in danger or missing..."  
  
"Check! Zzt!"  
  
"Aaannnd, your face turning totally red and getting flustered when someone calls you out on these things. Like when  _I_ did."  
  
"Wow! They exhibit all the signs of an 'A crush'!"  
  
"You can...stop calling it that. Just say 'Crush', ya weirdo."  
  
"Yo-o-ou got it! So, you think they have crushes on each other?"  
  
"That's the idea. It's kinda cute, actually."  
  
"Do  _you_ have a crush on anyone, Moon?"  
  
Moon rolled her eyes at the question. "No, of course not. I don't have time for that sort of stuff," she said. Rotom nodded, as he began pondering the new information. "So, how come you were teasing him a-a-anyways? Is that supposed to help the process? Zzt!" Moon snickered, "Pft,  _no_. It's just fun. They'll fess up to each other when they're ready." Rotom's screen flickered with a question mark again as they exited the cave, "And what happens when they  _do_?"  
  
"Simple, Rotom. They do even  _more_ affectionate stuff. Like kissing," she said, making a mocking pucker of her lips. Rotom still seemed confused, but he decided not to ask for once. Something told him he didn't want to get into it. Suddenly, his screen changed as new information began uploading into his database of the area. "Ah! We've arrived on Route 9! There are 2 exits here. The go North and South! The South exit is where our destination lies. Would you like to hear about the North exit?"  
  
Moon waved him off, "Nah. Let's stay on track. We can go sight-seeing some other time." Rotom saluted as best he could, floating off to guide Moon and her Eevee to the South exit. "The path to the Te-e-emple is reached through a pla-a-ace called Memorial Hill! It's a resting place, so we should be quiet and respectful. Zzt!" he warned. Moon nodded, continuing to follow after Rotom as they entered the cemetery grounds. It was like a maze with all the hedges, and there were plenty of gravestones around.  
  
A light fog covered the area, but it wasn't too distracting. A few trainers were scattered about the area. Moon smirked again.  _Alright...time to crack a few eggs_ she thought, as she began to traverse her way around the graveyard. As she turned a corner, she locked eyes with her first challenger. A small boy in a cute little hat. He seemed incredibly young, almost too young to be here. Her smirk faded with the first thing that came out of his mouth, however.  
  
"People in graves are sleeping, right?"  
  
"...I guess so."  
  
"Maybe they'll wake up if we have a battle! Wanna help me wake up my gram-gram?"  
  
"Sure kid. Watcha workin' with?"  
  
The boy tossed out a pokéball with a wide grin, "Magby, come on out!" Moon tilted her head a bit.  _A Fire Type, huh?_ she thought. She swiftly swapped out her Eevee, tossing out her Popplio's pokéball. "Popplio, let's put on a show!" The sea-lion pokémon barked excitedly, clapping it's fins together. She pointed at the target, "Aqua Jet!" Popplio burst at the Magby in a tunnel of water that knocked it back hard. The Magby was already incredibly weakened after just one hit, but it wasn't down just yet.  
  
"Magby, use Flame Burst!" the boy ordered. The Magby spat out a burst of fire at it's opponent. And while Popplio was damaged by the attack, it didn't suffer very much injury. Moon just smiled and shook her head. Kids were usually poor trainers. She definitely used to suck at it. "Bubble!" Whatever strength the Magby had left was instantly dashed with the exploding bubbles that knocked it down. The kid cried out in surprise, "Oh no! Magby!" Rotom bounced back and forth with great anticipation.  
  
"I-i-it's almost getting  _too_ easy for you, Moon."  
  
"Yeah... _almost_."  
  
The boy called back his pokémon, fishing out another pokéball from his pocket. "This is my only other pokémon, let's make it count, Ledian!" he called, tossing the ball into the air and summoning it. Rotom beeped, ecstatic at the opportunity to collect data on the pokémon, if only a little. Moon looked over the bug pokémon, before sneering thoughtfully.  _Hmm, a Bug Type...I don't have anything that'll knock it down right away, but Eevee should do fine_ she thought, swapping the two pokémon once again as she called back her Eevee.  
  
"Eevee!" it cried, excited to stretch it's legs again. "Ledian, use Mach Punch!" the boy commanded. At a speed the Eevee was unable to dodge, the Ledian rushed forward and socked it in the face, knocking it back. Eevee cried out in pain and confusion, and Rotom and Moon were left somewhat speechless. "Woah! I co-o-ouldn't even see it! Zzt" Rotom glitched excitedly. "Can't let that stop us! Eevee, Quick Attack!" Moon commanded. Eevee dashed forward, it's speed enveloping it in an aura of sorts that glowed white.  
  
The Ledian was helpless to dodge this attack as well. Eevee slammed hard into Ledian at full force, and the blow seemed to be just a hint more powerful. Rotom cried out in surprise, "Critical hit! Eevee must've landed a weak spot!" Moon smirked, "Nice job, girl." Eevee smiled, "Eevee!" The moment was interrupted as the boy gave his next order, "Ledian, Silver Wind!" Suddenly, a strong wind blew powdery scales in their direction. The scales hit against Eevee, damaging it even further. The Mach Punch had already dealt a great bit of damage, so it was already beginning to feel tired.  
  
Suddenly, Ledian glowed with a red aura that faded after just a few moments. It cried out, seeming full of energy. The kid beamed brightly, "Wow, cool! Your stats just boosted!"  _He had Silver Wind?_ Moon wondered. Sometimes she pondered at how these trainers she fought under-utilized the power they had. Then again, this one  _was_ much younger than her. Perhaps he just didn't know better. Rotom caught this as well, simply just not understanding some humans. "Doesn't matter, we just gotta put down your attack. Eevee?" she called.  
  
The Eevee turned to look at her curiously. Moon nodded, "Use Baby-Doll Eyes!" The Eevee smiled, barking happily as it turned to look at the Ledian again. It's bulbous eyes pierced through it's very soul, unbearably cute and irresistible. The Ledian gulped, now becoming more hesitant to hurt the Eevee. The kid pouted, not quite understanding what the move was supposed to do. "My Ledian isn't some  _girl_! Ledian, Mach Punch, again!" the boy ordered. Ledian went for the kill shot, but deliberately missed, hitting the ground as Eevee hopped to the side.  
  
Moon giggled as the boy began panicking. "Ledian, what're you doing?! Don't get all soft!" he pouted. Moon smirked. She felt only a  _tad_ devious. But she didn't care. "Eevee, Baby-Doll Eyes again!" The Ledian was shaken up even more by yet another merciless onslaught of large, round eyes staring it down. Suddenly, the Eevee began glowing in a bright light. It was consumed in a light as it's form began to shift. Rotom stared on in awe, immediately switching to his recording mode to capture the momentous occasion.   
  
It's large, fluffy tail shrunk down, it's overall form grew taller and more slim. It's ears also shifted, moving closer together and stiffening a bit. Strange shapes formed on it's left ear and on it's neck, as odd tendrils grew out from them. Finally, once it's shape had completely changed, the light faded. It's deep, chocolate eyes were now a sparkling blue. The fur on it's chest was now gone, replaced instead by a cute bow with ribbons attached to it. It had a similar bow with more ribbons on it's left ear.   
  
It was now primarily white in color, complimented with shades of pink on it's tail, paws, and a large patch covering the top half of it's head, including it's ears. At the end of the ribbons were small strips of color as well, all dyed in pink, indigo, and a light baby blue. Rotom beeped with brand new data, as a picture of the new pokémon appeared on his screen with information. "It's evolved into a Sylveon!" he declared. Moon raised a brow at this, turning to look at him, "A Sylveon? What type is  _that_?"  
  
"Zzt! Sylveon, the Intertwining Pokémon! The Fairy Type evolution of the Evolution Pokémon, Eevee. This pokémon's ribbon-like f-f-feelers give off an aura that weakens hostility in its pre-e-ey, causing them to let down their guard. Then it attacks."  
  
"Woah, nice."  
  
"Looks like it's Fairy Type move influenced it's evolution! My data says a strong bond helps as well."  
  
Moon turned back to the battlefield, smiling at her newly evolved partner. The Sylveon yipped excitedly, hopping back and forth as it's elegant ribbons swayed in the air. "Ve! Sylve!" it cried. The boy pouted again. "Ledian! Use Tackle! Don't let it distract you!" Once again, the Sylveon avoided the attack as it dodged with great speed. It's newly made longer legs and thinner body had made it much lighter on it's feet. Moon smirked again, "Bingo...Sylveon, take him out with Swift!" It's ribbons swayed excitedly, as it summoned an array of star shaped rays.  
  
The onslaught of hits knocked the Ledian out of the sky, rendering it unconscious. Rotom flew up gleefully, raising up one of his limbs in excitement. "Ledian is unable to battle! Moon is the winner!" The pout pouted again, calling back his Ledian huffily. Moon couldn't help but giggle in amusement. Kids were so adorably easy. "Aah...I'm getting sleepy!" the boy suddenly whined, rubbing at his eyes. For a moment, Moon's eyes widened before she shook her head. Approaching the boy, she kneeled down to him and smiled.  
  
"You know, I think your grandma would rather you not interrupt her nap. Sleep can be real nice sometimes. What if she's having the best dream ever? You don't wanna pull her out of it, do you?"  
  
"Nuh-uh..."  
  
"Why don't you head on home, scamp? It's getting pretty late, that's why you're tired."  
  
"Ok. Thanks for the battle though, miss! Your girly pokémon is pretty good."  
  
"Mayyybe  _you_ should consider getting one. They're not  _all_ weak, you know."  
  
"Really? Well...ok then! My gram-gram used to like girly pokémon too! Bye bye, miss!"  
  
Moon smiled warmly as she waved the boy off. She could remember being so young and passionate. Once the boy was out of sight, she frowned and sighed. Rotom picked up on this, "Mo-o-oon? Are you ok?" She mustered a false smile as she waved him off, "Yeah, I'm cool. Just reminded me of someone." Rotom beeped curiously, as Moon approached her Sylveon and gave it a couple pets. "Nice work, Sylveon. You look really pretty. Do you like it?" she asked. Sylveon nodded, "Ve ve!" Moon giggled back at it, "Good. C'mon, why don't you rest for a while?"  
  
Swapping back out her Popplio, she continued through the maze of a graveyard as she headed for the temple. As she continued along her path, an old but fond memory played back in her head. Ever since she was very young, she had almost always dreamed of being pokémon trainer. But things became so suddenly complicated with her father's passing. She tried her best to be a supportive, quiet, obedient daughter. Whereas she was usually rowdy, ornery, and a complete troublemaker. Fondly, she recalled the day things had begun looking up for the better.  


* * *

  
_The house was quiet. It had been ever since the gaping hole left behind by his death had been torn open. Meowth was sat in it's bed by itself. It had grown incredibly lonely the past 2 weeks. It's master had suddenly began ignoring it constantly. It didn't understand. Did it do something wrong? It too was mourning in a way as it noticed the fading scent of a loved one getting more and more faint. Soon, it would not recognize the scent at all. Why hadn't he been home in so long? Everyone was acting so sad and apprehensive.  
  
The front door of the home swung open, and in stepped it's master and her daughter. A young, spry girl who usually wore a huge grin. But not lately. They were both dressed in black, the young girl wearing a round hat with a white bow around it. The Meowth had long since ceased it's habit of greeting them at the door. It was only shooed away by the girl's mother anyways. As her mother let go of her hand, she shuffled quietly to the kitchen table and slowly took a seat. She let out a long, loud, and heavy sigh. It fell upon the girl to close the door behind them.  
  
As she hung up her hat on the coat rack, her mother cleared her throat to get her attention. She looked up timidly. Had she done something wrong? Maybe her mother's throat hurt from her speech at the ceremony. She stepped forward. Not completely approaching her mother, but getting just close enough to hear her speak. She put her hands behind her back, hanging her head shamefully. Just looking at her, one might assume she was just caught red handed in some mischievous act such as theft or saying a bad word.  
  
"Moon..."  
  
"Yes mommy?"  
  
"I'm...sorry, I've been so quiet lately. I'm just..."  
  
"It's ok mommy. I understand..."  
  
Moon's mother turned her head, locking eyes with her young daughter. The child lifted her head. She blinked back at her mother, who sighed again. "I'm...going to be giving daddy's pokémon to Professor Oak," she admitted. This made Moon's eyes go wide. She took her hands out from behind her back. Raising them up frantically, she leaned forward. "Wh-what? Why?" Her mother shook her head, "I know you liked to mock battle with them honey, but I can't possibly care for all of them and neither can you. You're only 5 years old, after all."  
  
Moon's face reddened a bit as she resisted the urge to cry. She put her hands down, but she was still panicked. "What about Meowth?" The question made her flinch. Her eyes tossed about the floor frantically as she tried to find an answer. She finally managed the courage to look Moon in the face. "...I...you can have it, sweetie. It's not that high of maintenance, after all." Moon seemed more displeased with this answer. "But that's  **your** pokémon! Daddy gave it to you!" Once again, her mother fell completely silent.  
  
Meowth stood up, slowly inching over to Moon. The girl gave it a gently pet, but she didn't stop looking at her mother. The silence was awkward, much more so unbearable. The only thing that soothed Moon's nerves was stroking her hand against Meowth's soft fur. The Meowth mewed quietly, but it still wasn't enough to break the deafening silence. Suddenly, her face darkened. It was an expression that made Moon nervous. "Moon, sweetie. I don't think I want you to participate in battling for a while. I don't want you to-"  
  
"That's not fair!"  
  
She turned to look at Moon again, about to scold her for talking back. However, she fell silent. Moon's face was totally red. She had tears in her eyes now. She stamped her foot down, shaking her head. "I don't  **wanna** stop battling! I can handle it!" Her mother gently reached out her arm, still stricken with shock, "Darling, I just don't want you to get hur-" Moon shuffled back, and she scowled. She sniffled, still shaking her head. She seemed to be resisting the urge to shout again. It's not like she didn't understand her mother's worry. But...  
  
"I won't get hurt! Never ever!"  
  
"Moon, how can you possibly know that?"  
  
"Because I'm gonna be the best at it! I'll be too good to get hurt!"  
  
Her mother gasped, pulling her arm back. For the first time since hearing the horrible, heart-wrenching news, she had a moment of clarity. Everything began to look normal again. Moon wiped the tears away from her face as she sniffled. Her glare eased up, but she still held a determined look on her face. Truly, in this moment, she much resembled her father. It brought tears to her mother's eyes, as she stared at her daughter in shock. Meowth too, was surprised by how familiar the expression was.   
  
_ _"I...I'm gonna be a trainer! And I won't be a dummy like that boy! I'll be the best pokémon trainer **ever** , even better than daddy!"  
  
Her mother didn't respond for a long moment. She looked down, as Moon frowned. She looked down with a shameful look again. Then, her mother stood up. Slowly approaching her daughter, she suddenly slumped down to her knees before her and pulled her into a tight embrace. Moon could hear her sniffling and sobbing. She hugged her back, "Mommy? What's wrong?" Her mother shook her head. "Nothing, for the first time since he left us, Moon...everything's just fine. I...I promise to help you and support you every step of the way. Ok, sweetie?" she sobbed.  
  
Moon's eyes glazed over, as she slowly smiled for the first time in weeks. She nuzzled safely into her mother's arms. Tears came to her eyes again. Finally, for both of them, they could feel like a family again. There was still time they needed to mourn, surely. There were still unfinished businesses to attend to. But that could be dealt with easily. Meowth mewed again, and her mother slowly turned to look at it. Hesitantly, she pulled the small feline into the hug. It mewed happily, glad that it's master finally gave it the attention it craved.  
  
"Thank you, mommy. I love you."  
  
_

* * *

  
As she kept this memory in the back of her head, she continued forward as she blasted through more trainers in her path. She was only slightly off-put by a punkish girl in similar style to the Skull Gang. However, she definitely was no threat nor a Skull Gang member. Though she could tell the girl had run away from home. She was dirty and disheveled, and she looked like she hadn't eaten in a couple days. Moon only felt slightly sorry for beating her. But she had her own mission, she couldn't stop to pity her.  
  
As she kept on her path through a patch of tall grass, she heard a loud commotion not too far ahead of her.  
  
"Stop right there, Skull Gang! Hand over that pokémon, now!"  
  
She looked up, gasping and taking a slight step back. Just ahead were 2 Skull Gang members, and an employee from the Aether Foundation. Beside said employee was a strange looking old man, dressed up in a professional looking lab coat. It was similar uniform to the employee, so she assumed he too, was an employee to the Foundation. Rotom whispered to Moon gently from behind her, curious as she was to the set up, "The Skull Gang and the A-A-Aether Foundation? And it looks like they're fighting. What're they doing?"  
  
"Looow?"  
  
The two turned to see the Skull Gang thugs had a shivering Slowpoke in their grasp. The entire scene was frankly confusing. Moon raised a brow, still debating whether or not to step in or turn back. True, she was the least suspicious and the least guilty amongst her friends. However, even  _she_ knew that the Aether Foundation and the Skull Gang being together in one location was  _definitely_ bad news. Even  _if_ they were quarreling.  _But...I don't get it. Hau said the Skull Gang was after Gladion too. I thought for **sure** they were working together _she thought.  
  
"Don't give me trouble! I'll reduce you to rubble!"  
  
"That's right! We're gonna sell this pokémon to get rich, and we won't make no bones about it! If you want it back, you're gonna have to take it!"  
  
Rotom and Moon both gave disgusted looks. They were trying their hardest not to cringe at the strange poetry spewing from the thugs's mouths. There was no doubt about it, the Skull Gang was up to no good. But that brought up the question, what did it have to do with the Aether Foundation? Did this Slowpoke belong to them? Perhaps the thugs had stolen it from someone and they were caught up in retrieving it. Regardless, it was clear that they weren't interested in doing harm... _yet_. "Looow?" the Slowpoke quivered.   
  
"Stand firm! Think of what the president would say!" the older man suddenly pitched in.  
  
Moon and Rotom noticed the look of annoyance on the employee's face as she pouted at him. She rolled her eyes. "That's what you  _say_ , Chief...but you don't lift a  _finger_..." she muttered, passive aggressively. The older man scoffed in offense to the remark. "Why, I am the Aether Foundation's last line of defense! What would become of the foundation if something were to happen to me  _now_?" he shouted, pridefully. The remark had Moon's eyes narrow at him. It was definitely an  _interesting_ bit of information, even if he  _was_ just full of crap.  
  
Moon glanced down at her Popplio, who nodded at her. She nodded back, taking a deep breath as she finally stepped forward. "Hey, Skull Gang! I thought I told you losers to back off!" she shouted, ignoring the white coated lackeys to the Aether Foundation. The older man's eyes lit up as she approached. "Ah! Here is a promising young trainer!" Still ignoring him, she turned to the employee instead. "Are these numbskulls giving you trouble?" she asked. The employee was about to respond, when the older man once again interrupted her, forcing Moon to address him.  
  
"Quite! Fight in my stead, child, and rout these Skull Gang ruffians. I will bestow honor upon you, if you do!" The proposition had Moon raise a brow.  _Honor? Like...a reward?_ she wondered. She pushed between the two, approaching the thugs in her midst. The first one glared at her, pulling out his pokéball, "You ready? Cuz I was  _born_ ready, yo!" Popplio hopped in front of Moon, as the thug called out his pokémon, a large black Raticate. Moon smirked, almost bursting out into laughter as she shook her head.  
  
"A  _Dark_ Type? Man you are just  _begging_ to be brutally owned. Popplio, Disarming Voice!" The grunt's eyes widened as he blinked frantically, "Y-Yo! That ain't fair, dawg!" A loud sound wave hit the Raticate hard, knocking it onto it's back and injuring it severely. Popplio cheered happily, clapping it's hands together. It wasn't enough to knock it out just yet, as it jumped back to it's feet. "Raticate, use Quick Attack, bro!" The thug commanded. Moon could see the sweat on his face under the tacky mask. Popplio was knocked back by the blow, as it couldn't dodge.  
  
However, it wasn't down, and barely scuffed. It pulled itself back up, barking triumphantly. The grunt took a step back, sweating profusely now. Moon smirked, flipping her hair back with her hand. "Hmph~, Popplio, give 'im one more round of Disarming Voice," Moon jeered. Popplio let out one last wailing cry that sent another bout of sound waves into the Raticate. Once again, it fell flat on it's back. This time, it fainted. The thug cried out in outrage, as Popplio clapped it's fins together gleefully. "Aw man, no way! You're gonna pay for that crap!" the thug threatened.  
  
Suddenly, Popplio was enveloped in a bright light. Moon's eyes widened, and once again, Rotom began recording the occasion. The grunts began to shake with fear, becoming nervous as the light consumed the Popplio's form. It's fins began extending, becoming slimmer yet longer. It's head shrunk as did it's nozzle and nose, which extended and bend more upwards. It's ears began shifting upwards, forming tiny bumps. Along it's body, something that resembled a frilly dress grew out and covered most of it, save for the end of it's tail.  
  
The light faded. It's deep blue skin was now a light, sparklier blue. It's ears resembled bubbles, and the tips of it's long fins were white, as was it's tail. The frilly and festive looking cover that stretched across it's body was striped with white and light blue. It was much more feminine looking now. Rotom beeped, displaying the new information about the pokémon on his screen. "Brionne, the Pop Star Pokémon, second evolution in the Popplio line! This pokémon is a skillful dancer, it creates a sequence of water balloons as it dances, and briskly bombards its enemies."  
  
The thugs gulped nervously, as Brionne barked menacingly at them. Moon smirked at them, "What was that about making me pay?" The first grunt stuttered as he spoke, "Th-that loss was so pathetic! Your moves were so kinetic!" Moon cringed at the continuation of what was surely the shredding of poetry. The other grunt butted in, "We don't need this pokémon anyway! Take it then! Good luck and good riddance!" Pushing frantically past all 3 of them, the thugs ran off, leaving Slowpoke behind. The employee let out a sigh of relief, walking over to check on the scared pokémon.  
  
"Looow?" it whimpered. The employee smiled, petting it to soothe it. She turned to look at Moon, "Thanks, kid!" The older man eyed up Moon's amulet on her purse. He smiled, though it didn't look very flattering, as he clasped his hands together. "Yes, indeed. You are a Trial-Goer, aren't you?" he asked. Moon pursed her lips, raising a brow at him. She put a hand on her hip, "Yeah, what about it?" The older man nodded, "You're a  _splendid_ trainer! I am deeply impressed! I'd like to reward you by showing you something  _truly_ astounding!"  
  
"Hmm...and what might that be?"  
  
"Whenever you aren't too busy, come see me at Hano Grand Resort. I'll take you to a  _wondrous_ place!"  
  
"A wondrous place, you say? And is it ok if I bring a couple friends, to this place?"  
  
"Of course, of course!"  
  
Moon looked to Rotom as she sneered. She wanted to be cautious about this, but she was most certain Hau would wanna see whatever it was this man had in store for her. Gladion's disguise seemed to work wonders. The risk was high, certainly, but worth it to keep tabs on these people. She cleared her throat, "Right. Sure. I'll be there in a couple days. I've got plans tomorrow, after all." Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She spun around to see the employee, the Slowpoke treading at her feet slowly.   
  
"Thank you for help us out. I really owe you!" She smiled before continuing, "I'm so glad there are nice young trainers like you around. Good luck on your Island Challenge!" It was then that Moon noticed how young this girl looked. Then she noted her ID tag stuck on her shirt. Detailing her name and underneath in big bold letters, " **INTERN** ". She mustered a smile back, shaking the girl's hand politely. "Of course. See you guys around," she said. They parted, and as Moon continued on their trail to the Temple, she began to discuss with Rotom.  
  
"Mo-o-oon, do you really think bringing the boys is a good idea? Zzt!"  
  
"Hau needs to know what's going on. And Gladion will be able to help us in a jam since he knows some inside stuff. Besides, I'm sure he's just taking us to some kind of tourist attraction or something like that."  
  
"Li-i-ike Royal Avenue?"  
  
"Maybe..."  
  
"...What i-i-if he offers to ta-a-ake you to the Aether Foundation?"  
  
Moon stopped dead in her tracks. Rotom floated in front of her, worried he might have spooked her. "Moon? Is everything- Zzt! -alright?" Moon pointed, prompting Rotom to look. Just head of them was an older looking woman. She sported punky clothes, and her brightly colored gold and hot pink hair was held up in odd ponytails. The hair clips much resembled the hats some Skull Gang members wore. Her back was turned, so they couldn't see her face. Moon scowled, gripping the strap of her purse nervously. Rotom noticed the slight sweat running down her face.  
  
"...Hey, you," Moon called. The woman turned around. As soon as she did, they could both see the unmistakable medallion wrapped around her neck, signaling her affiliation with the Skull Gang. She had incredibly unsightly black and white makeup around her amber eyes. Her brows were clearly plucked and mostly pencil. She was most definitely much older than her. Her long face sneered down at Moon with absolute disdain. It made Moon gulp, as Rotom beeped nervously and ducked behind her. Then, the woman eyed up Moon's Brionne, who was still sat beside her.  
  
"...So,  _you're_ the one Lillie was talking about?"  
  
Moon's eyes widened.  _Lillie?_ she thought. The name drop only made Moon feel  _more_ nervous. She resisted the urge to reach into her bag for a pokéball. Even though her Brionne was already out, she had a feeling she'd need someone stronger. "Hmph. You don't look like anything special to  _me_ ," she jabbed. Moon adjusted herself, trying not to appear frail. "Yeah? Well you better start believing it, lady." The woman seemed to take offense to the way she addressed her. "I'm  _Plumeria_ ," she spat, disgusted. Moon kept her glare, as Plumeria stepped closer.  
  
"I keep the Skull Gang together, you see? All these numbskulls, they're like my little brothers and sisters. Sometimes, they see me as a mother figure. You've probably realized most of them are idiots by now. It can't be helped. But don't you think some dummies are  _cute_ in their dumbness?"  
  
The strange question made Moon ease up her glare involuntarily. It was an odd question indeed. She could see a slight smile tugging at the corners of Plumeria's lips. For sure, it was a more interpersonal question. Perhaps it was just rhetorical. "You know what I mean, right? You picking on my cute, dumb, kids is really pissing me off," she spat, her intense scowl returning. She pulled out a pokéball, pushing the button on it to increase it's size. Their eyes didn't dare move off of each other. Moon nodded, accepting the on-coming challenge.  
  
"... _Bring it_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you wondering, no, that grunt not the same thug that Gladion beat up in the Pokémon Center. It's just a different grunt with a different Alola Raticate.  
> By the way, even more special treats for you guys, I made more chibis for this fanfic! Now featuring a Lillie and Gladion exclusive linked down below. Thanks for all the love and support, this is really fun! ~♥
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/artgurusauce/art/Lillie-Chibi-800300262
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/artgurusauce/art/Gladion-Chibi-800306994


	30. Chapter 29 - Dancing Through Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moon and the boys hang out together on Royal Avenue and do some catching up. During their day relaxing, they decide to partake in the ever-famous tradition of Battle Royal. However, just as they're about to compete, an unexpected figure appears before them.

Perfection was a word Gladion had come to distaste. Among other words much like it. However, it would be the only way to describe the flawless weather he and his travel companion had awoken to that morning. The hotel room was absolutely buzzing with sound, as the small pokémon jumped about excitedly. They were all ecstatic about Torracat's new form the night before. This didn't quite help it's prideful nature, but Null was sure to keep it's attitude in check. It was still much smaller compared to it, after all.  
  
They were even more excited, hearing Null and Gladion's other pokémon recount the incident in the Pokémon Center. Each of them voiced their support, apologies, and mutual frustrations. The stoic Eevee's brother was particularly apologetic and expressed deep worry. Of course, this just lead to yet another mutual agreement amongst the pokémon to be ever vigilant where their masters could not be in the wild. They had long since calmed down, and now they were just excited with the new possibilities of the outside world.  
  
The hustle and bustle didn't last long however, as everyone was swiftly called back up into their pokéballs save for Torracat and Rockruff. The boys quickly made their way down to the lobby, eager to be at least an hour ahead of themselves. However, once again, they were stopped as a familiar face greeted them. 2 familiar faces, in fact. "Thought you boys might still be here," she greeted as Rotom swayed floated up to them eagerly. "A-A-Alola, friends!" he cheered.  
  
"Howzit? Watcha doin' back here Moon? I thought you would've been at your next trial by now."  
  
"Weeelll, the thing about  _that_ is...I was thinking we could all spend the day together on Royal Avenue."  
  
"Royal...Avenue?"  
  
"Only the most popular place to be on Akala! I found it yesterday, but we see each other so little I thought, 'Hey, why not hang out with my 2  _favorite_ goofballs?'" she smirked, wrapping her arms around each boy, gaining a slight glare out of the blonde.  
  
"Aww, thanks Moon! Sure, we can do that. Lead the way!"  
  
Moon beamed, taking her arms of the boys and shoving them forward, "Alright then! Let's get to it!" Suddenly, Hau remembered something as he turned to face her again. "H-Hey, hold up! Where's your Popplio?" Moon smirked, pulling out a pokéball and tossing in the air. "Come on out, Brionne!" she called. The brightly colored sea-lion posed cutely as it appeared, clapping it's fins together excitedly. Torracat stared in awe at it's rival's newest form, sniffing at it carefully as it observed alongside Rockruff.  
  
"Wow! It evolved?! It looks so cute!"  
  
"I know. Happened just yesterday after our trial."  
  
Gladion's brow furrowed as he sweat a little, "You sure must've been busy." Moon rolled her eyes, beginning to walk alongside them out the door. "About that...remind me later, but boy do I've got a doozy for you boys. First, tell me what's what, my amigos." Gladion glanced to the side nervously, still debating whether or not to disclose anything he had already told Hau. She knew this of course, and pouted impatiently. "Aw c'mon now, Gla- Er... _Hanini_. I'm not gonna  _tell_ anybody. Aether are a bunch of shady jerks, anyways."  
  
"W-Well, I guess I could tell you about what happened to me while you guys were... _busy_."  
  
"Ooo, a lone wolf adventure~?"  
  
"Please stop..."  
  
"Sorry sorry, force of habit! So, what  _did_ happen while we were taking our trials?"  
  
"Well, some ruffian from the Skull Gang came into the Pokémon Center and began making threats and demands," Gladion explained. Moon gasped, and Hau stayed quiet, having already heard the gist of it. Rotom chimed in as perusual, "So-o-o, what did you do?! Di-i-id someone stop him?" Gladion shook his head, "No...at first,  _nobody_  challenged him. Until some kid spoke up and started calling him out and refusing to comply. Then, the coward sicked his Raticate on the kid to keep everyone else from doing anything rash."  
  
"What a jerk!  _Please_ tell me  _somebody_ kicked his teeth in!"  
  
"Well, naturally I was completely frozen in fear. I had no idea what to do. But...then Rockruff pulled me out of it. Something about all of it didn't feel right. Strange as it sounds...I saw a little bit of myself in that kid."  
  
Moon frowned, remembering a similar feeling she had just the day before. "I see. So you stepped in, huh?" she guessed. Gladion nodded, "Yeah." Hau smiled warmly at Gladion, grabbing his hand to comfort him. The older boy blushed, glancing at him for a moment. "I think you're really cool for doing that, Hanini," he said. Gladion smiled back at him, before continuing as he looked at Moon again. It went un-noticed by both boys as Rotom took unusual interest in the gesture they partook in.  
  
"It didn't take him long to recognize me. And at first I was horrified he'd force me to give up Null in exchange for leaving that kid and everyone else alone. But, instead, he requested that I pull him out and let him battle him."  
  
"Wait? He wanted to  _fight_ your Null? Why?"  
  
"I have no idea. He even said he knew his boss just wanted him to bring it in."  
  
"So you...you battled him?"  
  
"It was a hard decision...but yes. I did."  
  
Moon's face went pale just thinking about it. Even within the enclosed walls of the Pokémon Center, the risk factor was extremely high. "Oh Arceus...you beat him, right?" she asked. He nodded, "Yeah, I did. And to my surprise, he kept his end of the bargain." Moon and Hau stared worriedly at him. It didn't escape the younger boy's attention when Gladion's grip on his hand got just slightly more firm. It made him blush, and he wasn't quite thinking about the why as his heart fluttered.  
  
Then, to their surprise, he smiled. "I'll admit, it's still difficult for me to trust people sometimes...but it felt so easy when everyone there assured me they wouldn't tell anybody a peep," he admitted. Moon smiled, putting her hands behind her back as she grabbed her wrist. "So, you're not a total grump after all," she jabbed, smirking bemusingly. Gladion rolled his eyes. He pouted, though only slightly. "Anyways...that was pretty much my morning while you guys were playing around in the trial grounds."  
  
"H-Hey! It's  _serious_ business!" Moon huffed. Hau giggled at this. Suddenly, the 3 were stopped in front of a large arching entrance to the bustling road ahead. Instantly, the mood broke as Moon hopped in front of the boys and posed dramatically. "Welcome, boys! To the all-in-one Eden of Akala Island, Royal Avenue!" The boys exchanged hopeful glances, as they entered into the new area alongside Moon. As soon as they stepped inside, it was an impressive sight.  
  
There were quite a few buildings in sight, and a lovely garden area where a couple of photographers were camped. The children all exchange excited glances, before Rotom began buzzing with new information. "W-W-Woah! Where do we even begi-i-in?" he beeped. Grabbing Rotom out of the air, Moon activated his camera feature manually. She turned to the boys again, an adorable grin on her face. "Boys, c'mon! Let's go check out the garden! I heard it's  _fantastic_ for photographs!" she insisted.  
  
They followed after her eagerly, the pokémon prancing beside them all enthusiastically. As they approached the garden area, they couldn't help but breathe in the fresh air. Rockruff began running around, barking as it followed a couple of bug pokémon and small bird pokémon that were hovering around the fenced-in portion of the garden. Torracat laid down on the ground, staring menacingly at some small Grass Types that were marching about inside the fence as well.  
  
Brionne, however, was caught up in sniffing the thick bushes of flowers between the fence. Moon used Rotom to take a bunch of pictures, occasionally snapping a selfie or a photo of her own pokémon. She even managed to snap a couple of pictures of the boys while they weren't paying attention. As she did so, the trio continued to talk, making sure nobody was too closeby as they did so. "So then, you beat another Skull Gang clunky, congrats," Moon praised, snapping a photo of a Swablu.  
  
"Thanks," Gladion said. It went quiet for a moment, before Gladion finally sighed. "There is...one or 2 important things I should probably tell you," he finally admitted. She turned her head to look at him, as Hau watched from where he was squatted, playing with his Torracat. "I overheard you talking to Hau last week. About someone you ran into. Someone from the Skull Gang," Gladion admitted. Rotom beeped, his eyes moving to look at Gladion carefully. Was his theory right after all?  
  
"You mean Lillie?"  
  
"Yeah... _her_."  
  
"What about her?"  
  
"She's...my little sister."  
  
Moon's eyes widened, as she dropped Rotom. Thankfully, he kicked in his mechanics and naturally floated back up into the air on his own. She blinked, "W...Woah.  _Seriously_?  _That_ chick is your  _sister_?" He nodded. "I...guess I should've seen it before. Blonde hair, green eyes. It was just a lot less obvious under all that ugly makeup and...the highlights in her hair. The whole goth look really distracts ya from it," she rambled. He nodded. Looking down again, he took a deep breath before continuing.  
  
"This...is going to be hard to ask of you, but try not to be too hard on her," he asked. The request surprised her. Of course, she already had a million questions about the what, how, and why of all this. And those questions quickly malformed into hasty, half-baked theories. "Might I ask  _why_?" she asked, awkwardly. He sighed, "I don't blame her for any of this. I...I should've just brought her to Melemele with me. Talked things out with her. Our mother may have never laid a hand on her but..."  
  
"...I see. So she's kinda like you. But instead of hiding out like a smart person, she decided to hunker down with the rowdiest, most out-there criminals she could in order to make herself stronger. Which I can only guess is to prepare herself for some kind of war she's planning to bring to your mother."  
  
"What...?! She can't do that, it won't accomplish anything. I've already  _tried_ reasoning with her-"  
  
"You said it yourself. You left without her, so now it's her rage that's doing all the planning."  
  
"...I guess you're right."  
  
"I'm not saying that you're entirely at fault here. If your mother wasn't such a whack job in the first place, neither of you would even need to  _be_ here right now."  
  
The older boy seemed shocked with Moon's understanding. Grabbing his left wrist, he resisted the urge to hug her. She smiled warmly, patting his shoulder gently. "C'mon, let's walk 'n talk," she offered, walking up to Hau with him. She grinned mischievously at Hau, "Ah, close your eyes. I've got a surprise for ya." Hesitantly, he complied. At first, he appeared nervous, until Gladion grabbed his hand once again to help lead him along. His face lit up, and the cutest grin spread across his face.  
  
Moon resisted the urge to giggle at this as Rotom snapped a picture of the spectacle. Moon turned herself around, keeping her eyes on Gladion as she lead the boys along. "So then, you got any plan for if you run into her?" Moon asked. Gladion pondered this. He truly didn't consider the unlikely possibility. After all, with all the running around he was doing with Hau, at this rate, they were bound to cross paths eventually. He already come across the Skull Gang twice now. And Moon was definitely getting the most run-ins with the thugs.  
  
She had already run into Lillie for herself. Which mean she had already come dangerously close to finding him. Would she try to take him into Guzma as well? She was most certainly furious with him. It'd be more strange if she wasn't, would it not? "I...not really," he admitted. He decided to change the subject, still weary of the mere thought. "Oh, right. Kukui is your cousin, yes?" Moon nodded. "Well, I actually happen to know his wife." Moon's eyes nearly popped out of her head.  
  
"Woah! You know Burnet?"  
  
"Somewhat...I didn't really talk to her much."  
  
"Then...how-"  
  
"She used to work with my mother. She was around for a little while when my mother started abusing us. But I guess her marriage brought her out to Melemele or something. I never did know why she left."  
  
Moon raised a brow at this. Unbeknownst to Gladion, she talked to Burnet and Kukui both back when they first wed. The whole family was quite shocked and yet happy to be brought together in a more momentous and elated celebration. She was still quite young, so she played the role of their honorary Flower Girl. She could remember clearly, speaking with Kukui about Burnet's old employment. She had given up  _quite_ the high paying position. If what Gladion was saying was true, then...  
  
Suddenly the thought scattered away as they arrived at their destination. Rotom pulled her out of her train of thought to remind her. She blushed a bit, only slightly embarrassed she forgot. Gladion couldn't help but to stifle a snicker as he finally saw Moon's surprise. Hau pouted, "Can I open my eyes yet?" Moon giggled, winking as she stuck out her tongue teasingly, "Yup!" As Hau's eyes fluttered open, he froze. A wide grin spread across his face as he beamed.  
  
"A Malasada Shop?!"  
  
"Surpriiise!"  
  
" _Awesome_! Thanks, Moon!"  
  
"No problemo. C'mon, let's go get some lunch, huh?"  
  
The trio stepped inside alongside their pokémon. Hau and Moon eagerly approached the counter. Hau turned to Gladion curiously, and Gladion looked away shyly, "Um...same thing as last time. It was really good." Hau smiled again, as he and Moon ordered their food. The woman behind the counter noted their pokémon, "Might I recommend one of the terrace tables outside? It's a lot more comfortable for the pokémon." Moon nodded, "Sounds good to me! Thanks, lady."  
  
Once they all had their food, they shuffled back outside to one of the aforementioned tables. There was nobody else nearby save for the single photographer still hanging around the garden several feet away. As Gladion held out one of the malasadas to his Rockruff, he was surprised to find it didn't hesitate for once. Biting into it, the Rockruff pulled the puffy treat out of it's paper hold and began munching on it on the ground. Gladion smiled, returning his attention to his companions at the table.  
  
Moon had already begun munching on her own malasada. She hummed in satisfaction, "Damn, these are delicious." Hau bit into his own malasada, and Gladion gave a sheepish look at the familiar sound of him hissing in pain. Moon sneered at him. "What'd you order the spicy one for?" she asked. He pouted, "It's good! Once you get past the heat, anyways." Gladion rolled his eyes, glancing away shyly as he held out his own malasada. "Here..." he muttered.  
  
Hau too recognized this scenario, but this time he was just blinking blankly at the treat. For some reason, it now felt completely different. The memory left him blushing a bit. Moon raised a brow at this, totally clueless to their strange behavior on this one. Eventually, Hau snapped out of it and bit into Gladion's malasada. As he breathed, a light fog came out. Moon's eyes widened, "Woah! Cool!" Gladion pulled his arm back, "It's a cold malasada. Guess it's some kind of special filling."  
  
Moon pouted as Gladion bit into his malasada as well. "Aw man! I wish you guys had told me that before! I would've order  _that_ one!" she whined. Hau giggled, causing the air he breathed out to fog more. "We'll be sure to remind you next time!" As Moon finished her malasada, she glanced to Gladion who was only halfway done.  _Even when he eats he's timid as hell_ she thought. Her expression turned to a look of pity, "So then, your sister is a gangster and your mother is a total witch. Sounds like a pretty hard family to me."  
  
Gladion sighed, a light fog escaping his mouth as well. "You don't even know the  _half_ of it..." he muttered. He pouted a bit, but he didn't seem too perturbed to discuss it now. She tilted her head a bit, folding her arms on the table, "I'm sure I don't even know a  _quarter_ , to be honest." She rested her cheek on one of her clenched hands before continuing, "My cousin is a total kid, which is ironic comin' from me. And my mom is like...the  _biggest_ hippie ever. But, I can't say she's not supportive."  
  
Hau stared at her for a moment, before he suddenly spoke up again, "Say, Moon, I've been wondering something..." Moon glanced at him curiously, her pout fading. "What is it?" she asked. Gladion was curious as well, not sure what was on his companion's mind. His face became sheepish. He seemed to hesitate before he spoke again. "Well, you always talk about your mom. But, you never say anything about your dad." Moon raised a brow, her eyes turning somewhat sorrowful.  
  
Slowly, her eyelids fell a bit as she looked down at the table. She resisted the urge to sigh. "He's...not really... _around_ , anymore," she admitted. The boys fell completely silent. Almost immediately, Hau regretted asking. Gladion, however, could only silently sympathize with the girl. Quietly, Hau muttered a single, "O-Oh..." as he looked down at the table as well. His face was stamped with shame. A few thoughts began swirling through Moon's head, before she looked up at them again.  
  
"You know...maybe I should talk about it. It's only fair. I mean, I think you guys are pretty cool, anyways," she said. Gladion hesitated to meet her eyes. He definitely wanted to reach out to her. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious. But he knew how hard it was to talk about such things. "How did it happen?" Moon's eyes slid shut as she winced. Hau looked up curiously. She took a deep breath, before she finally began, "Ever hear about some freak accident that happened on Akala recently?"  
  
Hau thought about this for a moment, before remembering faintly a story he had in fact seen on the news just a couple weeks ago before his grandfather brought Gladion to their home. "Hmm. I...think I did, actually," Hau muttered. The blonde raised a brow at him curiously. Unlike his sister, he had been too caught up to catch the news. "What was it?" he asked. Hau turned to look at him again. He wasn't too surprised Gladion didn't know about it.   
  
"Well, it's a pretty normal case all things considered. Sometimes pokémon are too strong or too rowdy for a trainer to handle, so they can go rampant and lose control of their power. Worst case, they totally disregard their own master's orders. Some kid lost control of his Incineroar or something and...well...unfortunately, it had to be put down."  
  
"Oh Arceus...that sounds so horrible...!"  
  
"Yeah, I've always been scared of it happening to me, to be honest. It's really easy for that to happen."  
  
Torracat's ears folded back as it stared up at it's master sorrowfully. The pokémon were all ears at this point. Particularly Brionne. Moon nodded, continuing hesitantly, "Well, my dad was a victim in a case like that. A lot of trainers are lucky. They get out with a broken bone or two, maybe a scuff if Arceus was watching over them that day." She stopped briefly. The cold and dark memories of that day seeped into the back of her head. She crushed the now empty paper bag that once contained her malasada.  
  
"My dad...he wasn't so lucky. He...he used to be a Gym Leader, you see. And...he got..." she took a deep breath before continuing again. Her grip on the paper bag loosened just a bit. The boys and the pokémon all stared in silently anticipation. All of them could practically predict what she was about to say. It just how she was about to say it that had them on edge. It had to be utterly horrifying just to imagine being a victim to such a thing. To know someone that  _was_ a victim, however...  
  
"...He...got... _burned_...by a Charizard's Flamethrower."  
  
Hau's eyes grew wide as his face paled in absolute horror. Gladion's face mirrored this, as he put a hand over his mouth. He felt completely sick to his stomach. Even the pokémon were taken aback in shock. The Rockruff whimpered quietly, as the Torracat looked down, feeling shameful of itself as it recalled all the times it ever disobeyed Hau. There was truly nothing, no words that could express the boys's shock. Moon took advantage of the silent for a few minutes, before continuing further.  
  
"They tried to resuscitate him, but he didn't make it. The burns were too much. And they weren't able to put him out in time. I don't know what happened to the kid for sure, some people said he left the region out of shame and quit battling."   
  
Gladion's hand slowly came off his face, resting back on the table. Slowly, he met her eyes again. "Moon, I-I'm so sorry," he whispered. She couldn't help but smile warmly, "Thanks." She rested her arms on the table again, leaning forward a bit as she put her gaze back down on the table. "My mother was so weary of pokémon for weeks. She didn't even pay any attention to the Meowth my father had bought her as an anniversary gift. You'd think I wouldn't want anything to do with them either."  
  
Hau raised a brow, only just now thinking of this. Before he could ask, however, she kept explaining. "But honestly, it motivated me to be a trainer even more. I told myself I'd become a strong and skilled trainer, so nothing like that would ever happen to anyone ever again!" she declared, pumping her fists as stars appeared in her eyes. Her smile was brighter now, and she looked like her usual confident self again. Hau smiled at this, "I'd say you're doing a pretty good job, then."  
  
"Thank you, Hau," she said. For a long moment, Gladion fell silent. He had been processing this new information carefully. There was no doubt he could relate to Moon's loss. He remembered the night he first confessed the things he had suffered to Hau. How despite not needing to, he shared his own secrets just to be considerate. He smiled softly to himself briefly, before he frowned again. Breathing in deeply, he startled both Moon and Hau with his next words.  
  
"...I...don't remember much about  _my_ father, to be honest."  
  
They instantly turned to look at him. Their eyes were filled with curiosity. Hau's sparkled a bit, surprised that Gladion was opening up so much lately. Perhaps Moon's story had struck a cord with him. Moon was definitely curious as well. Just like Hau, she knew that every little detail could help  _them_ help  _him_. "...I mean, that sounds so strange to say," Gladion began again as his eyes were still trained down on the table. Rockruff propped itself up, using it's paws to latch onto the sides of Gladion's chair to listen.  
  
"I have a few faint memories here or there. Small things about him. Things I've heard him say. But, I hardly remember his face."  
  
"How'd  _he_ go?" Moon asked, carefully.  
  
Gladion winced. His faint memories had begun flooding to the front of his head much like Moon. "I don't even know myself. It was just...a freak accident. He was a pokémon researcher, you see. So, one of his experiments just...went wrong. We didn't even have a body to bury." His voice broke a little on the last sentence, and Hau's heart sank as he heard it loud and clear. Without quite thinking about it, he reached his hand over to grip onto Gladion's. The older boy blushed, finally looking up to meet his eyes.  
  
Hau stared back, his eyes filled with worry and pity. He nodded, assuring his friend it was alright to continue. Strangely, the blonde felt comforted by the gesture. He looked down again, staring at their hands to keep himself calm. "...He was a nice man, from what I remember. He was humble, and kind...and he seemed like such a free spirit." He smiled, though it was sad and mournful kind of smile. Moon could see his eyes glaze over. It was clear he hadn't had the chance to move on, let alone mourn properly.  
  
"Hm...the last thing I remember of him...was him patting my head. It's a strange last thing to remember, isn't it...? But it was so long ago, I..." he couldn't continue. His lip quivered, and he bit onto it to stop himself from crying. Unconsciously, he entangled his fingers with Hau's for comfort. The shift prompted Hau to squeeze Gladion's hand tightly. Rockruff nuzzled it's cheek against it's master's ankle for comfort, still whimpering. Moon mustered a friendly smile, "He sounds like a really cool guy, Gladion."   
  
Gladion and Hau both turned to look at her. She rolled her eyes, "My dad was kind of the opposite. Total hothead. He's probably where I get most of  _my_ temper from." She giggled nervously at the notion, a drop of sweat beading down the side of her face. Gladion sniffled quietly, his eyes lighting up in curiosity again. "I-Is that so?" he prodded. Moon nodded, "Yeah. Total nightmare to drive with, honestly. He wasn't mean or anything, he just, had a short fuse is all."  
  
Hau chuckled at this, "That's so cute!" She beamed back at him in bemusement. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her that brought her out of the moment. She recalled what Kukui had told her about Hau's father. And between the 2 boys, she didn't hear much from Hau about his own personal queries. Curiosity, and the catharsis of sharing her struggles drove her to take a bold dive. Her face turned blank as she suddenly interjected the younger boy's laughter, "...Say, Hau. I've...been wondering-"  
  
"About  _my_ dad?"  
  
They were both surprised at the quick response. The blonde noticed immediately when his face darkened. Moon chewed the inside of her cheek in embarrassment. She truthfully felt guilty for once. Hau sighed, pouting slightly, "To be honest, I don't have too many high opinions of him." She seemed even more surprised he was willing to confess. But she rolled with it.  _At this point, why not?_ she thought as she folded her arms on the table once again.  
  
"O-Oh. Is he still around?"  
  
"As far as I know. He left Alola a long time ago..."  
  
"Really?  _Why_?"  
  
Hau sneered, glaring downwards at the table. He hadn't let go of Gladion's hand yet, now needing his own source of comfort. "Guess he cracked under the pressure of being a Kahuna's son. Not 3 months after I was born, he took off without a word. Some people have said they'd seen him in Kanto, but he never writes or calls or anything. My mom still thinks that he'll be back someday...that...he's just 'off to find himself'," he explained. Gladion and Moon both blinked at him quietly for a moment.  
  
Suddenly, Moon scowled as she crossed her arms over her chest. She too, pouted. "But really, he's just a  _deadbeat_ , huh?" she guessed. "Seems that way..." he muttered. Gladion's eyes casted down again, his eyes darkening slightly. It was strangely cathartic for him to speak with them like this. He knew things like this weren't normal or at the very least, not moral. But it also felt nice to have someone to relate to for once. It was the biggest reason he sympathized with the Nulls, after all.  
  
"Do you...hate him...?" Gladion asked, seeming to be half inside his own head. Hau's eyes widened at this. He immediately began waving his free hand back and forth nervously as he sweat. His face turned a bit red, feeling completely flustered at the question. "Wh-what?! No, no, of course not! I-I mean..." he paused briefly, taking a deep breath to compose himself. He winced slightly, reaching deep inside his own heart to find the right words. "I...I can't hate someone I don't even  _know_ ," he admitted.  
  
Gladion's eyes stared up at him again. They weren't dark anymore, but the response seemed to intrigue him. Moon smiled again. She leaned against the table, beaming at him. "You know, Hala is kinda like your  _real_  dad these days, huh?" she said. Hau nodded, "Y-Yeah. He taught me all sorts of things growing up. He's a really cool guy." Moon titled her head slightly, sweating a bit again, "Sure seems like it. He's so zenned out and full of life at the same time."  
  
Hau chuckled nervously scratching his cheek as he blushed, "Yeah? You think so?" The heavy air around the table had suddenly lifted. Moon took note of all 6 of the empty paper bags she failed to notice before. All of the sudden, she remembered her plans for the day. She smiled, standing up as she rested her hands down on the table. This caught the boys's attention as they looked up at her curiously. "You know what? Let's all have a battle. Together," she insisted.  
  
Hau was once again rendered flustered and off-guard by the suggestion, "R-Right here?!"   
  
"No, silly! There's a really awesome place called the Royal Dome! They've got an arena where up to  _4_ trainers can duke it out at a time!"  
  
"S-Sounds confusing..." Gladion muttered.  
  
"Not at all! Come on, follow me! I'll show you~!"  
  
The boys briefly exchanged looks, seeking the other's approval, before they both nodded in agreement.

 

* * *

  
As the children entered the large dome building, they were caught in awe. It was a bustling place, and even in the boring and mostly colorless exterior of the lounge, it was exciting. The women at the front desk waved, and Moon eagerly approached with the boys. The woman she approached greeted her with a smile, "Hello there, young lady. How might I help you today?" Rotom piped up, waving one of it's limbs around eagerly. "We would like to book at Battle Royal session with 3 trainers, please!"  
  
The woman nodded as she began typing into the computer in front of her. "Of course, might I get your names and the pokémon so I can register you? We've got a slot open for 10 minutes from now. Oh, and, I'll need you to sign this form detailing that you agree to play fairly and that your pokémon are all trained appropriately. It's to guarantee the audience's safety and make sure we don't have any...sore losers, for lack of a nicer term." Moon nodded, signing a form the woman slide across the counter to her.  
  
"I'm Moon, I'm registering with my Brionne today," she stated. The woman then looked to Hau, "And you, young man?" Hau stepped forward, a bit nervous though undoubtedly excited. "I'm Hau. I'm registering with a Torracat. And my friend here is Hanini. He's entering with his Rockruff." The woman nodded, taking down all this information with impressive speed. "And you said this is a session for 3?" she repeated. Before any of the children, a loud and oddly... _familiar_ voice bellowed behind them.  
  
"And what do we have here?!"  
  
All of them spun around to investigate the source of the shout. Before them stood a shirtless man in strange wrestling get-up. This included a festive looking mask that had the combining and clashing features of a blazing inferno, a gently leaf in the breeze, the roaring waves of the ocean, and the silent but deadly lightning of a thunder storm. Truly, it was a sight to behold. Upon first glance, all of the kids were speechless. Until that is, Hau slowly grinned and cupped his cheeks in his own hands.  
  
"Oh my Arceus... _it's the Masked Royal!_ " he squeaked. Suddenly, Moon had remembered something. She sneered as she rolled her eyes.  _Oh_ ** _great_** _...he's gonna crash my fun and embarrass me_ ** _again_** she thought, bitterly. Gladion raised a brow as he peered at the strange man more in-depth. He didn't recognize him right away as Moon did, but he had the funny feeling he had met him before. He was currently perched on one of the stair cases. As he slowly made his way down, Moon slouched a bit.  
  
"I'm here today, yeah, to spread the word,  _oh yeah_ , about Battle Royal!" the man declared. Gladion sneered, leaning to the side and whispering cautiously to Hau. "Um...who is this guy?" he asked. Hau gasped at Gladion, and the blonde could easily observe the bright stars twinkling in his eyes. If he weren't so perturbed by the strange man, his heart might've skipped a beat. "You don't know who the Masked Royal is?! He's only one of the famous Battle Royal trainers there is! He's like a  _legend_!" Hau beamed.  
  
"I didn't realize you were such a fan..."  
  
"I've never participated in one myself, but it's really cool!"  
  
The Masked Royal approached them, smirking proudly. The older boy's eyes lit up as it suddenly hit him. He resisted the urge to snicker as he realized who this was. "That's right, kids! I'm here to teach you,  _oh yeah_ , about the battle format passed down in Alola for  _generations_!" Moon pouted, muttering passive aggressively under her breath at him, " _Think you could say 'oh yeah' 100 more times? I didn't get it the first 50..._ " The Masked Royal ignored this, instead wrapping an arm around her in a slight hug.  
  
"The Pokémon Battle Royal!  _Woo_!" he shouted. Gladion noticed them exchange challenging glares at each other, but Hau was so excited he didn't catch it. Rotom just beeped quietly, also registering who this Masked Royal  _really_ was. At this point, Gladion was just trying to put the whole thing together. Of course, since Hau obviously couldn't tell what was going on, he decided not to ruin it for him. Besides, his reaction was kind of cute. The older boy suddenly blushed.  _Wait... **cute**?! _he thought.  
  
"'But Masked Royal, what's the Battle Royal?', you might ask."   
  
" _We didn't..._ "  
  
"4 trainers! 4 trainers, yeah, each pick a pokémon, yeah, for one big pokémon battle,  _oh yeah_!"  
  
" _Stop saying yeah every five seconds...!_ "  
  
"When only one trainer is left standing, yeah, the Battle Royal ends, yeah, and the last trainer standing is the victor! Woo!"  
  
" _No shi-_ "  
  
"Mind I join you, first-timers?  _Oh yeah_!"  
  
Moon began speaking up again as she finally managed to escape his grasp. "Oh  _hell_ n-" she was interrupted as Hau approached the Masked Royal with great enthusiasm. "Oh my Arceus, are you  _kidding_?!  _Absolutely_! I've always  _dreamed_ of battling you someday!" Gladion offered Moon a sympathetic smile as she stared at Hau in bewilderment. He whispered to her gently, "Just...let him have this. It's only for 1 round, then we can keep going by ourselves."  
  
She groaned heavily, " _Fine_." The Masked Royal pumped a fist in the air, as Hau could hardly contain himself. "Woo! Let's do this!" he declared. The woman smiled up at him as the children entered into the arena ahead. "Are you registering your usual pokémon, Mr Royal?" The Masked Royal shook his head, "Actually, I'll just be entering with a Munchlax for this one. Wanna be fair on the kids, yeah." She giggled, typing in his information and nodding at him. "All set, sir. Go easy on them!" she chirped.

* * *

  
The large arena had 4 gaping, and incredible entrances. Each one was crafted to appear to be the open maw of different pokémon. These included a Charizard, Gyarados, Tyranitar, and a Haxorus. The stadium was filled to brim with people and their pokémon who watched on with great anticipation. Moon was the first to step out from the Gyarados entrance, sporting her beautiful Brionne who made a spectacle of bubbles to sell it's entrance. The crowd cheered them on, mostly small girls and young women enjoying the entrance.  
  
Next to enter was Hau from the Tyranitar entrance. His Torracat made a show of it's fire-breathing ability, posing elegantly and getting the crowd raring to go. Then Gladion and his Rockruff entered through the Haxorus entrance. The Rockruff kept all the crowd's attention trained on it, prancing about and barking fiercely. Finally, the crowd was riled up as the Masked Royal and his Munchlax stole the spotlight from the kids. Walking out of the Charizard entrance, he posed and flexed his muscles.  
  
Women began screaming, hopelessly in love with him, while the men cheered him on enthusiastically. Moon pouted a bit, rolling her eyes at the over-the-top reactions of the crowd. Each of their pokémon hopped into the ring, looking amongst each other with great anticipation. Brionne shifted in place, and the Torracat crouched with anticipation. Rockruff growled, leaning forward as it rested it's weight on it's front paws. The Munchlax was the most peaceful, just looking between everyone and seeming conflicted.  
  
A loud buzzer went off, as the crowd began cheering on their respective bets to win. The Masked Royal moved first. "Munchlax, Defense Curl!" The Munchlax suddenly curled in on itself, as a red aura briefly enveloped it. Moon smirked, eager to rub her new strength in her cousin's face. "Brionne, hit him with Aqua Jet!" The Brionne enveloped itself in a tunnel of water, charging into the Munchlax and almost knocking it out of the ring. Gladion blinked, trying to think of what to do first.  
  
Hau noticed his conflict, and came up with an idea. He pointed to Rockruff to direct his Torracat, smiling brightly. "Torracat, use Ember!" Torracat turned to Rockruff, spitting a ball of flame in it's direction. Thankfully, the blonde noticed this. "Rockruff, dodge it!" The pup pokémon responded in time, rolling to the side to avoid the attack. The blonde looked up at Hau with a surprised look. However, it only took him a few moments to process what the younger boy was proposing.  
  
He smirked, "Alright...bring it. Rockruff, Rock Throw!" Rockruff barked, jumping up into the air as a rock manifested into thin air. Doing a flip, the pup knocked against the rock with it's tail, sending it flying right at the Torracat. It hit hard, and it seemed to do double the damage a normal move would've. Rockruff landed safely back on the ground. Hau beamed excitedly as he grinned. "Alright! This is what I'm talkin' about!" he cheered. The crowd cheered excitedly, even more ecstatic than before.  
  
"Munchlax, use Amnesia!" Masked Royal bellowed. The Munchlax put a hand on it's chin, slowly bobbing it's head back and forth as it cleared it's mind. Yet again, was enveloped in a red aura that faded quickly. This time, much brighter than before. Moon clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Hit him with Disarming Voice!" she commanded. The Brionne let out a charming cry, and the sound waves knocked into the Munchlax. Unfortunately, it seemed to do very minimal damage. The Masked Royal smirked.  
  
"You're gonna have to do better than raw power to take  _me_ down, kid!"  
  
"Maybe...but you can't just win with pure defense, either!"  
  
Gladion took note of this, before returning his attention to Hau. "Rockruff, use Howl!" The Rockruff took a deep breath, before howling loudly as a red aura faded off it's body. "Ember! Again!" Hau shouted. Torracat spat yet another fireball at the small pup. While it actually hit for once, it didn't do a whole lot of damage. The Rockruff shook it off, barking angrily at it's opponent. Hau's eyes widened, "Crap! I forgot Rockruffs are  _resistant_ to Fire Types!" The older boy smirked, making a strange pose as he held his hand over his face.  
  
"Should've done your research, Hau. You're gonna regret challenging me pretty soon."  
  
"I can't wait to find out what kind of power you've got!"  
  
"My pleasure...~"  
  
Hau blushed lightly, something about Gladion's tone set his heart ablaze as it began racing. Torracat sweat slightly, only  _sensing_ his master's strong attraction to it's opponent's trainer. It wondered if he'd ever learn. However, it was pulled out of the moment as suddenly and unexpectedly, it was hit with a slap on the head from the Munchlax. Both boys were forced to turn their attention back to the Masked Royal. Moon was pouting and fuming, "Hey! Don't ignore me! Brionne, use Encore!"  
  
Suddenly, the Brionne balanced it self up on it's tail, clapping it's fins together. It barked happily, as the Munchlax began to hallucinate a spotlight and cheering surround it. It rubbed the back of it's head nervously, waving it's arms up and down as if to appease it's own personal crowd. Completely oblivious to the real crowd. The blonde turned to Moon, the heat of battle completely overtaking him. "I'll gladly fill the void for you, Moon. Rockruff, Bite Brionne!"   
  
Rockruff pounced forward, sinking it's teeth into Brionne's tail viciously. It cried out in pain, flailing it's tail around to dislodge the puppy. Eventually, it did, but it was still injured. Hau quickly jumped into the action, his heart guiding his actions as he pined for Gladion's attention. "Torracat, Lick Rockruff!" he ordered. The Torracat's tongue extended, and the Rockruff cringed uncomfortably as it was lapped by the feline. It blinked blankly, before it's muscles locked up completely as it was paralyzed.  
  
Gladion blinked in slight panic, "Oh  _shoot_!" The Masked Royal crossed his arms, "Nice try kid, but you can't ignore me forever!" Moon frowned impressively sourly as she shot him a glare, "I oughta be saying that!" He ignored her swiftly, still keeping his attention on Hau. "Munchlax! Lick it!" The Munchlax didn't appear the register the order, once again slapping the Torracat on the head. His eyes widened a bit, "Hey! I didn't say to use Chip Away again! What're you doing?"  
  
Moon did an over-exaggerated maniacal cackle as he was forced to address her. "That's Encore for ya, your Munchlax can't use any other move for at least 2 more turns now!" she declared. The Masked Royal smirked proudly. "Impressive!" he complimented, much to her irritation. "I'll give you something to be impressed about, alright. Brionne, Water Gun!" The Brionne cried out excitedly as it unleashed a high pressure blast of water into the Munchlax. It still barely made a dent, but it was a bit more damaged, now.  
  
The crowd was completely riled up now, each of the 4 trainers had an entire quarter of the room rooting for them. A few women in the audience in particular swooning over the Masked Royal's performance. A couple small children however, appeared to notice Hau's strange pattern. "Rockruff, use Rock Throw on Hau!" Gladion commanded. Unfortunately, the pup was unable to power through it's Paralysis and was left immobile. Hau jumped on the opportunity for an open hit.   
  
"Torracat, use Scratch on Rockruff!"  
  
"Chip Away, aim for Torracat again!"  
  
Hau's attack was interrupted by yet another slap on Torracat's head. He pouted at the Masked Royal, just before smirking with excitement. His brain was buzzing now too at the chance to go head-to-head with one of his greatest idols. Moon groaned, knowing it was practically hopeless at this point to get her cousin to pay attention to her. Then, she turned her attention to the paralyzed Rockruff and smirked.  _ **That** ought make him pay attention! _she thought, directing her Brionne towards it.  
  
"Brionne, now's your chance! Hit Rockruff with Aqua Jet!"  
  
"Bri~!"  
  
The Rockruff yelped in panic, unable to dodge the assault as it slammed it back. It did quite a bit of damage, and it just barely managed to pull itself back onto it's feet through the Paralysis. Gladion gasped lightly, turning his attention back at Moon again. "Oh, you're  _on_...! Rockruff, power through and use Bite, again! You can do it!" Somehow, the Rockruff managed to obey this command. Breaking through it's Paralysis, it suddenly charged forward and bite into the Brionne's tail once again.  
  
It was quickly shaken off, but Moon gapped in disbelief. "How the hell?!" she shouted. The blonde was taken aback as well. He and Rockruff exchanged a look, before they both nodded in understanding. Gladion felt once again that he was starting to understand pokémon battling even more. "Torracat, use Lick on Munchlax!" Hau shouted out. The Torracat gladly complied, lapping the Munchlax with it's powerful tongue. However, it seemed to be completely unfazed.  
  
"H-Huh? But how? Even with your Defense boosts it should've done something!" Hau yipped. The Masked Royal wagged his finger as he shook his head. "Munchlax isn't affected by  _Ghost_ Type moves," he admitted. Hau sweat a bit, "Oh man! So I just totally wasted a turn?" Masked Royal nodded, giving out another order to the Munchlax, "Chip Away, again!" The Munchlax complied, though of course not because it even heard it's trainer's command. However, once it finished it's attack, it snapped back to reality.  
  
It looked around in confusion, finally realizing where it was. Moon continued her onslaught, taking advantage of Torracat's weakened state. "Brionne, target Torracat and finish him off with Aqua Jet!" The Torracat was helpless to even attempt to dodge, as Brionne slammed into it within it's protective watery tunnel. It hit the ground with a hard thud, and it's eyes swirled. Rotom chirped, having watched the spectacle with great enthusiasm up to this point, "Torracat is unable to battle! Hau is out!"  
  
Hau rubbed the back of his neck as he pouted. "Aw man! Already?" he whined, calling back his pokémon into it's ball. He waved farewell to everyone, heading back through the entrance he came through. Finally, Masked Royal turned his attention to Moon. "Nice work! But now that your Encore has worn off, you're wide open! Munchlax, use Lick on Brionne!" The Munchlax nodded, opening it's mouth and extending it's tongue. It licked the Brionne violently, knocking it back and damaging it a bit. It was quite exhausted now, mostly from it's injuries from the Rockruff.  
  
"Damn...Encore isn't gonna do us much good like this. Fine then, Torrent can probably get us the boost we need to break through that Defense of yours! Water Gun, aim for Munchlax!" Brionne shot another stream of high pressure water, knocking the Munchlax back a bit. It suffered a bit more damage, but it definitely wasn't exhausted just yet. Gladion processed his next move in his head, thinking hard and logically about who he should attack next. Rockruff could practically see the gears turning in his head.  
  
_I could go for Brionne now and take a win, but then I'm left alone with Munchlax. But if I go against Munchlax, it might make the Masked Royal focus on **me** instead of Moon. And it has that unholy Defense boost...wait.  **That's**   **it**!  
  
_"Rockruff! Howl!" Gladion commanded. Once again, the Rockruff howled loudly and a red aura a bit brighter than the last one enveloped it before fading away into thin air. Moon took notice of this, a bit confused.  _He didn't come at me? He could've easily taken me down. He just gave me a free shot_ she thought. Turning her attention to Masked Royal again, she pointed her Brionne towards his Munchlax. "Disarming Voice!" she commanded. The Brionne cried out again, and the sound waves weakened the Munchlax just a bit more.  
  
However, she knew well that the game was already over. Her gesture didn't go un-noticed as now Gladion was the one bewildered by her move. She looked at him, nodding as she smiled. "Kick his ass, sunshine," she muttered. Unsurprisingly, Masked Royal took the opportunity to take her out as he uttered his next order to his Munchlax. "Munchlax! Chip Away, on Brionne!" The Brionne was smacked hard on the head by the Munchlax, and instantly fell unconscious. Rotom swayed back and forth in panic.  
  
"B-Brionne is unable to battle! Moon is out!" Moon smiled peacefully, calling back her Brionne as she put a hand on her hip. "Oh well, maybe next time..." she muttered again, turning and heading back through the entrance she came from to meet up with Hau. The blonde turned to the Masked Royal, his blood boiling as he sweat with anticipation.  _So then...she's leaving it to me, huh? Hopefully I can make this work..._ he thought. "Rockruff, let's finish this! Use Rock Throw on Munchlax, make it count!"  
  
Rockruff barked and nodded, jumping up into the air. Another rock began manifesting, this time noticeably much bigger than the last one. It growled, straining itself to collect power. It's heart was completely in sync with it's master's wishes. As it flipped again, it knocked it's tail hard against the rock and directed it at the Munchlax. It was unable to dodge the attack, and was knocked back across the ring. It hit the ropes, flopping forward onto it's belly. By the time it was on the floor, it's eyes were already swirled.  
  
Rockruff had defeated it. The crowd cheered, most of them standing up from their seats to applaud Rockruff and Gladion. The blonde's eyes glinted with something he hadn't felt before. He smiled as his Rockruff barked excitedly, pouncing into his arms. The boy hugged the Rockruff, laughing as it licked his face lovingly and nuzzled his cheek. Gladion smiled down at his companion, "You did great out there, Rockruff! Good boy, thanks for pulling through for me."  
  
The Rockruff barked, wagging it's tail excitedly. Gladion pulled a pokébean out of the pocket on his hoodie, popping it in the Rockruff's mouth before he began scratching behind it's ears to reward it. The Masked Royal quietly called back his pokémon, doing one last pose for the excited crowd before heading back through his own entrance. Gladion followed his lead, holding his Rockruff close to him. For the first time in his life, he felt alive. 

 

* * *

  
The children once again exited through the giant arch entrance to Royal Avenue. The sky was orange again with dusk's call to the evening hours. Moon yawned, stretching her arms out as she did so. "Welp...time for me to mosey on my way to the next trial site," she sighed. Hau nodded, yawning into his hand tiredly. "Yeah, I'll try to catch up real soon. Maybe after Hanini and I check out the Hano Beach. I heard it's got a nice view." The statement made Moon's eyes pop with realization.  
  
"Oh shoot! I totally forgot!" she shouted suddenly, drawing the boys's attention. Rotom nodded, knowing full-well what Moon was talking about. "We've got to meet that weird man at the Hano Resort!" Hau raised a brow, "Weird man?" Moon swallowed, seeming a bit unsure of herself for once. She turned to the boys. "Um, so, I had a busy day yesterday,  _obviously_." Gladion nodded, prompting her to continue. "Look, I um...I ran into the Skull Gang and the Aether Foundation at the same time."  
  
"What?!" the boys shouted in unison. Moon nodded, "Yeah, they were like...fighting each other. I stepped in to help get rid of the Skull thugs, since it looked like they were stealing a Slowpoke. And this weird guy with giant ass green goggles and a really  _ugly_ lab coat said he wanted to reward me for my help." Gladion's face went dark. The bitter name rolled off his tongue like poison as he spit it out with great disdain, " _Faba_..." Moon raised a brow at him, "You  _know_ that creep?"  
  
Gladion's eyes widened, internally cursing himself for his slip-up. He shook his head to regain his composure. "H-He's the Branch Chief of the Foundation. He was the one in charge of the Nulls. The main instigator of their torture, you could say," he explained. Hau was still confused by one thing in all this. "Wait, reward? He wants you to go collect some reward at the Hano Resort? Do you know what it is?" Moon sneered, her face stamped with worry as she glanced at Rotom for a brief moment before looking at the boys again.  
  
"He...said he wanted to show me a...'Wondrous place'. Does that mean anything to you G- ... _Hanini_?"  
  
"Hmm...not in particular."  
  
"Look, I know you guys are nervous and  _obviously_ on the down low after the debacle in the Pokémon Center. But I think this is worth all 3 of us checking out."  
  
Gladion shifted nervously, gripping the strap of his satchel bag. "I...I don't know. He'd definitely recognize me if I got too close-" he was cut off as Moon held a hand up. "Which is  _why_ Hau and  _I_ will do  _most_ of the talking. He seems to respect me since I got on his good side right off the bat. So let's just...be really careful about this. You're our only inside man and Hau and I have the benefit of being suspicion free so far as the Aether Foundation goes," she explained, trying her hardest to persuade them.  
  
Hau looked at Gladion again, gently grabbing his hand to comfort him. They gazed at each other for a long time, before Hau broke the silence. "It's you and me, Hanini. We're in this together. I'll make sure nothing happens...promise," he said, firmly. Gladion's heart skipped a beat for a moment as his face flushed.  _What's happening to me...?_ he wondered. He nodded, trusting in Hau completely to keep his word. Hau smiled at Moon, "Alright then, we'll meet you there tomorrow."  
  
Moon nodded, still feeling a bit bad for dragging them into the encounter. "Alright...see you guys tomorrow," she said, waving farewell to them. As they departed off, hand-in-hand, Moon stared on quietly. Rotom gently glided closer to her, a worried look in his eyes. "You don't want to te-e-ell them about what happened with Plumeria?" he asked. She smiled softly, her eyes darkening as her Brionne stared up at her sadly. Rotom blinked, worried he may have struck a nerve.  
  
"...No. If they think there's even a  _chance_ one of those Skull Gang jerks can beat me, they'll freak out for  _sure_. Let them keep on being their confident selves. After all, Gladion's come a long way...don't you agree? It'd be a shame to ruin it now with all the faith they've got in me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gee Saucy you're sure referencing Wicked a lot why's that? >w>
> 
> Also, _**WOOOOO**_ long chapter! Hope this Battle Royal match was hype af cause holy shit is it hard to write a bunch of people dog piling each other and I'm literally crunching this shit at 1 AM, someone please help me I have a time management problem ;w;


	31. Chapter 30 - The Puppet And The Puppeteer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillie reveals her most important secret to Guzma, as the boys prepare to meet Moon at the Hano Resort to investigate Faba's "reward". However, they quickly discover a problem that might just delay their trip.

Plumeria was smoking yet another cigarette as she sat atop the wall. Staring out at the now empty town, she didn't notice as Guzma stared up at her from the roof of the mansion. She was unfazed, seeming to have a lot of on her mind. She didn't look up as he climbed his way up to her position. Of course, this didn't mean she didn't eventually notice him. She just kept staring off, taking more puffs of her cigarette. Sitting beside her quietly, he waited politely for her to acknowledge him. It paid off quickly.  
  
"...Well, what're you waitin' for? Go ahead and scold me already so I can get on with my smoke."  
  
"I didn't come here to lecture you."  
  
Plumeria raised a brow at him. Her arm was resting on her knee, as she kept her cigarette lodged between her fingers. Only now had she noticed that he was holding 2 beers cans. She hesitated for a brief moment. Then, she gave him a strange look as she took one of the cans with her other hand. "Thanks..." she muttered, popping it open. "So, ya ran into the little tyke on Akala," he said, opening his own beer can as well. Plumeria took a sip before she answered. "Yeah, no shit. Get to the point, ya knucklehead," she pouted.  
  
"Geez, relax already. I just wanted to tell ya you did a good thing," he snapped back. The confession caught Plumeria off-guard. She turned to look at him again, the look in her eyes completely bewildered. "Ya did?" she asked, flabbergasted. He nodded, taking a sip from his own can as well. He looked strangely peaceful, she had noticed that quite a lot lately. She waited for him to continue, still confused. "This whole situation ain't easy. She ain't ever gonna know what you did, so I figure you know  _somebody_ appreciates it," he explained.  
  
She blinked at this. Ever since they began their posse, it was clear that something had been slowly changing inside of him. They had become mutual parents to a plethora of unwanted and unloved children. Many of them were stupid numbskulls, including the girls. Plumeria knew this, and just as she confessed to Moon, she always found dumb to be hopelessly cute. And thanks to this, the children were all adorable. Her attraction to dumb had all begun with Guzma. And even now, it was just getting worse and worse.  
  
Even though the big guy didn't admit it as openly as she, he was fond of them as well. He liked being a surrogate father. But even moreso, taking in Lillie had changed them both much more. Perhaps it was fate that day when Plumeria rescued her from that beach. Perhaps it was fate when Guzma foolishly made the decision to hide her away from the very woman he answered to. That  _demanded_ he deliver these children to her doorstep. Or at the very least, force them to give up what was now surely close companions to them.  
  
The weight of it all came crashing onto their heads. It felt so very different now. They felt guilty. They felt for once that perhaps they weren't always doing the right thing. To make up for going behind the girl's back constantly, they did all they could to support her. For Plumeria, that was being someone to talk to. Doing her make-up, helping her learn how to socialize, giving her her first beer. For Guzma, it was being a strong protector. Teaching her how to defend herself, making sure she didn't jump too far ahead of herself, and giving her whatever she needed to get stronger.  
  
They had become more and more disgusted with Lusamine as the days rolled by. Still, they knew they were in no position to go against her. She had too much power over them. Just a she had incredible power over Lillie and her brother. It was clear that she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. That much was made clear to them long before Lillie entered their lives. But now it was becoming more difficult to cope with. They were silently hoping that her son would somehow find a way to get the hell out of the region. Anything but getting her the result she craved.  
  
"Well, thanks..." she muttered. Taking another puff of her cigarette, she sighed. She did feel a tad guilty about doing what she did. She definitely would never tell Lillie. It would totally damage her ego. "Guess that kid really got under my skin...maybe at least now that seed of doubt I put in her head will make it easier for Lillie to go up against her," she explained. Guzma nodded. He took another swig from his beer can before responding. "I get it..." he muttered. He seemed to be hesitating to say something. She raised a brow at him curiously.  
  
"Is everything cool with you or do you have another hangover?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"Then what the hell's got you so down in the dumps?"  
  
"...She...called me 'dad' a few days ago."  
  
Plumeria fell totally silent. She looked away from him, staring down at her now nearly empty can. "Oh..." she mumbled. He looked to the side. Tapping her finger nails against the metal can, she turned her head to look at him again. "You know...maybe we should just come clean with her," she suggested. Guzma breathed in heavily, "Plum-" He didn't even get to  _begin_ to object before they heard a familiar voice call to them from below. They looked down simultaneously, not quite able to hear what they were saying.  
  
It was Lillie. She was waving up at them, beaming brightly with a smile. As soon as they acknowledged her, she began climbing up to them. Once she reached the top, she sat herself between them, carefully maneuvering around Guzma to do so. Guzma pat her head, "Hey princess. What's up?" She shifted her dufflebag into her lap, looking down nervously. "Hey boss...I just wanted to talk to you. I saw you guys were up here so I came up to see you," she admitted. Plumeria noticed the zipper of her dufflebag wasn't zipped up even remotely.  
  
Her arms were holding it shut. Guzma raised a brow at her, quickly falling worried with Lillie's nervous demeanor. "What's up, kid? You feelin' alright?" he asked. She took a deep breath. It was clear she was suffering with an internal conflict. She kept her eyes downward as she began explaining, "I'm really grateful to you for taking me in, boss. You're always honest with me and you've helped me a lot. Even when I lost to some newbie trainer, you gave me encouragement and made me feel better."  
  
"Where ya goin' with this, kid?"  
  
"I just...I want to start being more honest with you. I trust you guys a lot."  
  
"Oh, sweetheart..."  
  
"Hold on. I...I wanna prove my loyalty to you."  
  
She slowly moved her arms off her bag, pulling it open with her hands. She looked down into it, cooing gently, "Come on out, Nebula." Slowly, a tiny and cute smog-like pokémon poked it's head out of the bag. Plumeria raised a brow, as Guzma's eyes widened. He accidentally dropped his beer can out of shock, spilling the liquid all over the wall. The timid pokémon glanced between them, but didn't move around much. It seemed to still be incredibly weak and frail. Guzma swallowed hard, remembering Lusamine's words when she first asked him to hunt down her son.  
  
_"I'm afraid they've stolen something **very**  valuable from me. Two beasts we need for our plans. My Beast Killer I need to capture my precious beasts and our means of getting there in the first place."  
  
_"...What the hell  _is_ that thing?" he asked. She pat it's head gently to soothe it. It chirped adorably, "Peeewww~!" She turned to look at Guzma, her smile fading a bit, "I'm not sure myself. I never found a name. I stole it from my mother. It's really rare, supposedly. I call it Nebula since I don't know it's real name." Guzma curiously but carefully poked one of the arms that hung off it's body. "It looks like some kinda smog. But like...all spacey," he said. Plumeria pursed her lips and rolled her eyes at his redundant description.  
  
"How come you haven't used this thing for battlin'?" he asked. She sneered nervously. She glanced to the side, a bit embarrassed. "Well, um...he's been having trouble moving around without injuring itself since we arrived on Ula'Ula. I suspect it's because it over-used it's power to get us here," she explained. Plumeria raised a brow at this. "I've been wondering about that. How  _did_ ya get on that beach?" she asked. "It's only a theory, but I think Nebula used Teleport to transport us here," Lillie explained.  
  
Guzma stared at the small little bundle. He wondered if Lusamine's son had one of the weapons meant to keep them safe from the Ultra Beasts, how was it that  _this_ thing was their means of getting to Ultra Space? If it could barely handle teleporting itself long distances without injuring itself, what made that nutjob think it'd be able to open a wormhole? He was even certain that if it were 2 or 3 inches too many, this thing might've killed itself in it's endeavors. Then, another part of one of his conversations with Lusamine creeped back into his head.  
  
_"You can just rough him up as much as you'd like. **Kill**  him if you so wish. It's all the same to me."  
  
_He had no doubt she meant it when she said something to this caliber. She had proven that time and time again. If the lives of her own children were but waste to her, she  _definitely_ had no problem sacrificing a frail pokémon like this merely for her own gain. The only reason she seemed to care about the Nulls being scratched up was most likely due to their muscle being far too important. The time and money she had invested in creating these things was too great to toss them out like trash as easily as that. But it seemed that was all that stopped her from authorizing their termination.  
  
"Does it got anything else?"  
  
"It...has Splash. But that's about it. And it doesn't have a pokéball that I know of."  
  
Guzma nodded, still processing all this. Plumeria just smirked smugly, "Well, we'll wait for him to recover then. Once he does, we can talk training." Lillie nodded, flashing a cute smile. Guzma chuckled, patting her head to ease her worries. That's when Lillie noticed what they were drinking. "Oh, you're drinking beer. Can I have some?" she asked, innocently. Guzma's expression broke at this. "D- N-No! You're way too young!" Plumeria rolled her eyes, "Why not? She's already had one, you know. Let 'er live a little you hard ass."  
  
"You  _gave_  her a  _beer_?!"  
  
"What's the big deal? It was  _1_  can."  
  
"I swear to Arceus, you  _kill_  me..."  
  
Lillie giggled, pulling them both out of their argument. Guzma rolled his eyes, "The answer is still no. I don't got any more right now." Lillie nodded, gazing out at Po Town as she rested her arms on either side of Nebby as it kept it's head poked out of the bag. Plumeria flicked her now burned out cigarette off into the wind. It was quiet for a few minutes. Then, Lillie turned her head up towards Plumeria again. Quietly and without skipping a beat, she asked a question that had been lingering in the back of her head for a while now.  
  
"So...like, is this like a date for you guys?"  
  
Their faces went bright red as their heads filled with panic. Nebby made another excited noise, amused by their reaction.

 

* * *

  
It was still considerably early in the morning. The sun was out and shining, sure, but a certain pair of boys were still resting. Only a couple of their pokémon were up. They were careful to be quiet, waiting patiently for their trainers to wake. This included Null, Rockruff, and the mated bats. The older boy's eye twitched as he was woken by the sound of Rockruff's incessant barking from the balcony. Despite Null trying it's best to make it quiet it down, it seemed to be distracted heavily. Gladion slowly sat up, rubbing at his eyes as he stirred.  
  
He turned to the still open balcony, immediately spotting the source of the noise. Slowly, and groaning tiredly, he climbed out of bed. Still rubbing his eyes, he began towards the balcony. "Mmnnn...Rockruff, quiet down. What's the matter with you...?" he grumbled. As he made his way out onto the balcony, he approached the railing. The pup didn't even seem to notice him, still yapping away. He could see now he was shaking and growling with each bark. He turned his head, looking down at where Rockruff's eyes were trained.  
  
He froze. Suddenly, he was shaken completely awake at the sight he beheld. There were Aether employees crawling  _all over_ the bottom floor outside the hotel. Luckily for him, it seemed Rockruff had been barking for quite a while. So most of them just ignored it's incessant noises. Without wasting a second, Gladion scooped up his pokémon and darted back inside the room. Closing the curtain that blocked off the opening to the balcony, he set Rockruff onto his bed. Frantically, he pulled his bag out from under his bed and began fishing through it in a panic.  
  
Null stood up, concerned by it's master's panic. Eventually, Gladion pulled out Null's Luxury Ball and called it into it to conceal it's presence. Once it was sealed away, he held the ball close to his chest and began breathing heavily. He was sweating profusely. He took a couple steps back, leaning heavily against the wall. He brought his free hand up to his mouth as he began shaking and his face turned dark. It seemed he had all but forgotten where he even was. Zubat and Noibat both knew they had to act quickly and get Hau awake.  
  
Rockruff had already begun barking, scratching at it's master's ankle to get his attention. The bat pokémon flew over to Hau's bed, screeching loudly and non-stop to wake him. In the process, the other slumbering pokémon were stirred as well. Pikachu rubbed at it's eyes, curiously looking up at the bats, "Pika...?" Eevee and Zorua became immediately aware of their parent trainer's strange behavior. Having imprinted on him, they could easily sense his panic and fear. Hau was the last to stir, sitting up groggily as he pouted at the bats that were still screeching frantically.  
  
"This is a step down from being shocked, but could ya keep it down?" he pouted. The Zubat flew over to it's master, guiding Hau's eyes towards him. Immediately, he became alert and awake to his companion. He gasped, jumping out of bed and rushing over to Gladion. All the pokémon were wide awake now, a couple of them disoriented by the absence of Null. Hau grabbed the hand that still shook as it held tightly onto Null's ball. This immediately snapped the older boy back to reality. His eyes were still wide with panic, but he heaved a bit.  
  
"Gladion! What's wrong? Where's Null, what happened?!" Hau shouted. Gladion quickly shushed him, moving his hand to hold an index finger up to his own mouth. "Shhh!" he hissed. Hau immediately gulped, trying to be careful not to make things worse. Gladion glanced to the now curtained doorway to the balcony. He whispered quietly, "O-Out there..." Hau hesitantly let go of Gladion, peeking through the curtain to see what had him so spooked. He stepped outside, looking over the railing and nearly gasping in shock when he saw the plethora of Aether Foundation lackeys.  
  
He quickly retreated back inside, only to find Gladion fidgeting with his hands. He seemed to have put Null's ball away in his front pocket. His breathing was loud and heavy again, and he looked to be seconds away from a full blown panic attack. Hau whispered gently, as not to startle him, as he gently grabbed his hands. "Hey, sh sh sh...don't be scared. They didn't see you, right?" he asked. Gladion nodded, unable to verbally answer in his current state. Hau smiled, intertwining his fingers with Gladion's, "Remember, we're  _here_. We're ok. Take deep breaths."  
  
Gladion nodded, whimpering a bit as he did so. He did his best to regulate his breathing. It was still shaky from his urge to cry, but it slowly became more steady and less overwhelming. Finally, he was able to compose himself. Hau nodded, "We'll be safe in here...they definitely can't come into our room," he reassured. It was then that he remembered their agreement with Moon. He frowned, his eyes darkening for a brief moment. His grip on Gladion became a bit tighter, "Hey...listen to me. You'll be safe if you just stay inside."  
  
The blonde didn't like how Hau said this at all. But he couldn't quite be sure of what he was implying yet. Either way, he knew it couldn't be a good thing. "I-It's probably better this way. I'll be back at the end of the day, they've  _gotta_ be gone by then, right?" he said, smiling nervously. Once again, the older boy's mind snapped with panic. He suddenly shouted, "No! No no no no no, you can't leave me here! They're going to find me. I-If I don't have you with me if something happens-"  
  
"Hey, shhh! It's alright. They can't come in this room."  
  
"H-How do you know?"  
  
"The Aether Foundation may have a lot of influence, but we're still legally entitled to our privacy. They know that probably, so they might just camp out downstairs and wait for you to rear your head around the corner."  
  
"Oh Arceus..."  
  
"You'll be ok, I promise."  
  
"I-I made a mistake, I  _n-never_ should've pulled Null out into the open-"  
  
Suddenly, Hau removed his hands from Gladion's and cupped the blonde's face in them. He stared him right in the face, the gaze demanding his attention. And his request was silently met. "Hey, look at me. Don't talk like that. You did a good thing the other day. But you don't have to worry about anything bad happening. Trust me, I would  _never_ let you get hurt," he affirmed. Gladion stared back into his eyes with pure adoration. Still, a part of him felt uneasy. Tears started running down his face as he couldn't hold it in anymore.  
  
" _Please_...don't go. I-If something happens to you out there-"  
  
"Nothing will happen to me. I promise you I'll come back."  
  
The older boy breathed out shakily, resisting the urge to hold Hau's hands against his face. He didn't know why he felt so safe like this. He felt...at peace. The only thing rattling it was the risk that he might lose Hau without even being able to  _attempt_ to defend him. Hau smiled at him warmly, and his fears fell apart once again. Slowly, Gladion nodded, "A-Alright...alright, I trust you. Please be careful. Faba is a selfish,  _ruthless_ bastard. He's not above letting others get hurt even if he's not the one doing the hurting."  
  
Hau nodded, wiping his companion's tears away. He wrapped his arms around him a hug. Gladion didn't return the gesture, but he wanted to desperately. He just wanted to hold Hau close and never let him leave. But he couldn't. Hau whispered gently to him, rubbing his back gently until he finally stopped shaking. "E aho, Gladion...I promise." It tore him up inside to leave Gladion behind. After all, he knew he'd be mortified with fear the entire time he was gone. Still, it was definitely for the best that he investigate whenever he had the opportunity.  
  
Gladion sniffled as Hau finally let go of him and stepped back. The shared a gaze, before Hau began preparing to head out. Gladion climbed back into the bed, as his pokémon all gathered around him to comfort him. As Hau called back all his pokémon, save for his Torracat, of course. Just before he opened the door to exit the building, he glanced at Gladion one last time. They stared at each other, and both hesitated to say anything to the other. Instead, they simply nodded, before Hau turned his back to his companion and left the room with Torracat.  
  
Hau took a deep breath as he rode down the elevator to the lobby. He knew he may have had to mentally prepare himself for walking through the metaphorical fire. True as it was that he wasn't a person of interest to them as far as he knew at this point, but he still felt uneasy. Just as he predicted, the elevator doors opened to reveal a scatter of Aether employees flooding the lobby. He swallowed, trying his best not to act out of character as he made his way for the front door. Thankfully, none of them had stopped him to ask questions.  
  
As he stepped outside, he only saw a couple other employees here or there in the area. He ignored them, instead pacing himself for the Hano Resort quickly. He didn't want to dilly-dally for a single second. Every moment he was forced to be away from Gladion was another moment that he couldn't be by his side to comfort him. Even if it was a lie, he wanted Gladion to feel safe. Of course, he'd be able to do much more for him in this regard in going to accompany Moon to this so-called "Wondrous place".  
  
It didn't take him long to arrive at the Hano Resort. It was a bit taller if not just  _as_ tall as the Tide Song Hotel. But it was much wider and more beautiful. The architecture was much more impressive and breath-taking. Something Hau didn't even think was possible. It almost eased his troubled mind. As he approached the entrance, he found that Moon was standing by the door with her Brionne and Rotom. She noticed him immediately, waving to him with a smile on her face, "Hey, Hau! Alola!" He gulped, approaching her nervously.  
  
It didn't take her long to take note of the obvious absent party. "Hey, where's H...Hanini?" she said, putting more emphasis on her silent question of how to pronounce the name. Hau sweat a bit, "A-About that...the hotel is overrun with Aether goonies." Her eyes grew wide as Rotom shouted out in surprise. "O-Oh my Arceus! Is he ok?!" she asked, frantically. Hau nodded, "Physically, he's fine. Mentally, he's about as stable as a dead branch. I told him to stay in our room until I get back. I'm sure by that time they'll all have beat it."  
  
Moon gulped, "I sure hope so..." Turning towards the entrance, she gestured to guide him inside. He nodded, walking in alongside her with his Torracat. As soon as they entered, they spotted Faba standing near the front desk. The inside of the resort was even more beautifully decorated, if that were even possible. Once again, a step up from Tide Song in a million ways. They quickly approached him, both of them eager to not waste any time. As soon as they came into view, he greeted them robustly.  
  
"So you've come at last," he observed. He glanced at Hau in acknowledgement, "I assume this is one of your friends?" Moon nodded, "Yup." Faba looked to her again. His eyes widened a bit as he seemed to sudden realize something. "Ah, forgive me. But I have yet to introduce myself haven't I? You may call me Faba," he greeted. Moon and Hau both seemed only a tad bit surprised. They had already learned of his name, but it felt somewhat disturbing to actually hear it confirmed. Truly, they were now peering inside Gladion's dark, twisted world.  
  
Moon put a hand on her hip impatiently, "Moon. He's Hau. What's this 'Wonderous place' you were talking about?" Faba nodded, clearing his throat at her, "I told you before that would show you someplace astounding, right? Well, that wondrous place is...Aether Paradise!" Immediately, the children's faces paled as Rotom beeped in shock. They felt like they might be sick as it repeated in their heads. Moon swallowed hard, being the first to speak up between the 2, "E-Excuse me...I don't think I heard you correctly. C-Could you repeat that?"  
  
"Ah, let me tell you about Aether Paradise.  _Just_ as the name suggests, Aether Paradise is a veritable paradise for pokémon that floats  _far_ out in the sea surrounding Alola. It is an artificial island, made entirely by human technology, for the protection of pokémon!"  
  
The children stared in bewilderment and complete disbelief. Not only that they were being invited to the epicenter of Gladion's troubles, but just to hear of the logistics of the island itself. Faba thankfully took their disgusted shock as child-like curiosity. "Of course, I'm an adult who keeps his promises. So I will prove to you that all I've told you is the absolute truth with a  _tour_ of Aether Paradise," he explained. Moon held up a finger as she opened her mouth to retort, before Hau grabbed her arm and grinned nervously at Faba.  
  
"C-Could you...excuse us? For a moment?"  
  
Moon shot Hau a nasty look as he pulled her aside and out of Faba's earshot. She whispered to him in annoyance, "Hau, what're you doing...?! We've  _gotta_ check this shit out...! It couldn't  _be_ any more perfect...!" Hau shook his head, "No way...! He's still all alone in the hotel room. Leaving the hotel is one thing, but the  _island_...?!" Moon pouted, crossing her arms at him. "You yourself said he'd be fine so long as he stayed in his room, right? And we both know he's more cautious than a Psyduck. We'll be back here later, so what does it matter?"  
  
Hau still seemed conflicted, until Rotom pitched into the conversation. "Zzt! I think it'd be for the best we-e-e find out what's going on from the inside o-o-out, don't you? If we fi-i-igure out what happened to hi-i-im, it could give us a- Zzt! -big clue on how to stop the president." Hau fell silent for a few minutes. They could all see the gears turning hard in his head as steam practically poured out his ears. Finally, he winced as he caved in. He turned to Moon, glaring intensely, "Fine...but as soon as we have what we need, we  _leave_. I'm not leaving him alone for longer than I have to."  
  
She nodded, walking back over to the now antsy Faba with him. He raised a brow at the children, "You will come, won't you?" Moon nodded, "Yes. We're coming. Our other friend is kind of sick so it'll be just us." Faba nodded, smirking a smug yet disturbing smirk, "Good, good. Then you'll come with  _me_. Aether Paradise will  _amaze_ you."  _He sure is playing this place up..._ Moon thought, pouting a bit. The children followed Faba out the front door towards docks that lay just ahead of the front door. As they walked down the steps to reach it, Hau froze.  
  
Moon glanced to him, whispering to him gently, "What is it...?" Hau pointed at the small boat that Faba was now currently boarding. "These are just like the boat tutu said Gladion crashed on the beach with. I saw pictures on the news," he clarified. Upon further inspection, Moon found he was right. She still remembered the strange news report. She always wondered if that boat had belonged to some kind of company. But it was a question that had sunk into the recesses of her mind in favor of more important ones that surfaced lately.  
  
Hesitantly, they boarded the boat behind Faba. As Hau took one last look at the island, he tensed massively. He had just hoped he wasn't making a grave mistake.

 

* * *

  
_White_.  
  
It was all just white. White, chrome, blank. Whatever word one might use to describe it. The complete lack of any color was overwhelming. It was all just  _white_. True as it were until now, they had observed this pattern among the employees, Faba himself, even the boat they were currently sat on. Hau gulped down the bile that built in his throat as he also remembered the unmistakable presence of white in the outfit Gladion had first worn when they had found him. It only just now occurred to him how drawn he seemed to be to darkness.  
  
It made complete sense. As he felt many things were going to by the end of the day. As they deboarded in the docking area, it took them a long minute to process a simple fact; they were standing inside the start of this madness. The beginning, the origin of all the pain and fear. They could practically  _feel_ the aura of discomfort and sheer evil. However, they forced themselves to remain composed. They had to keep their luxury of being unsuspected. If they lost it now, things would get impossibly difficult for everyone involved. They were pulled out of their trances by Faba's now grating voice.   
  
"Here we are you 2,  _this_  is Aether Paradise."  
  
As he turned around, Hau took in a deep breath and slapped his own cheeks. He had to pull it together, fast. Forcing his normal beaming grin, he feigned awe. Moon took noticed of this, and followed his lead. Faba turned to look at them again, "Aether Paradise is a facility created for the conservation of pokémon. It has been outfitted with all of the latest technology for this purpose." As he began leading them along, they followed and listened in carefully. Moon in particular was sure to keep an open ear. Rotom darted around, taking photographs of the surrounding area, hiding under the guise of collecting data of pokémon around the area.  
  
"Downstairs, our teams work on developing new pokéballs and more," he continued. Moon raised her head to glance at him. She raised a curious brow, "All of this is for conservation?" Faba nodded, turning his head to look back at her, "Yes, all for the sake of pokémon conservation." Suddenly he stopped and turned to look at them again, "Oh, right, I should tell you. You are not permitted to use your pokéballs to capture any pokémon here.  _Especially_ not the paradise floor. We've been taking precautions lately."  
  
All sorts of thoughts began swirling through their heads. They were almost sure it was an effect of Gladion and Lillie's escape. Though, they were also curious about this "Paradise floor" he had mentioned. Was it any wonder how this president had so much power? They were critical and suspicious of them, but there was no denying this place was at least  _somewhat_ beneficial to pokémon. At least...that's how it  _appeared_. As they followed Faba to the elevator, the platform came down and stopped as they approached.  
  
Off stepped a chubby woman with purple hair and large pink glasses positioned over her golden eyes. It matched the pink sweater beneath a white poncho wrapped around her shoulders. Strangely, she was the first person draped in Aether's colors that seemed... _friendly_? As soon as her eyes landed on the children, her face immediately strained. She approached Faba, a clear twitch in her eye. She grinned widely, clearly suppressing a lot of rage from bursting out of her.  
  
" _Excuse me_ ,Mr Faba-"  
  
"Yes,  _excuse_ you! What is the meaning of that form of address? I have a title for a reason! How else will anyone know how important I am?"  
  
The woman's face went dark, her eyes narrowing as one kept on twitching. She had given up on maintaining a smile and sneered at him. Even the children seemed unamused with his frankly rude behavior. She let out a strained breath, "Yes... _Branch Chief_ Faba..." She muttered in his direction again after he took a moment to bask in the glow of hearing his title. "Do you care to explain the...unauthorized  _guests_ you've got with you?" The children noticed her seem to look for a specific way to phrase it.  
  
"Relax, I sent a report out last night. I'm sure the president is aware of it by now."  
  
"You  _what_?!" she snapped, the most unpleasant she had seemed since she came into view.  
  
"I'm merely just rewarding this girl for aiding us in our endeavors against those  _brutish_ Skull Gang thugs."  
  
The woman fumed, her flushed and pouting face coming off somewhat cute and child-like. It only slightly reminded Moon of the one Lillie had made at her during their last encounter. Suddenly, her face went blank however, as she forced yet another smile that looked a bit more genuine this time. Tilting her head innocently, she chirped particularly loudly so Faba could hear, "Branch Chief Faba~?" Once again he seemed to revel in the form of address as he answered her call.  
  
"Yes, Professor Wicke?"  
  
"You sound like you've had a  _long_ ,  _stressful_ week. Why don't you run along and go talk to the president? I'll  _gladly_ take the children off your hands for you."  
  
"Why, thank you! That would be utmost helpful."  
  
"But of course,  _Branch Chief_ Faba~."  
  
She stood still and quietly as Faba boarded the elevator and headed up. As soon as the platform was out of view, she let out a deep and long sigh of relief. Composing herself quickly, she gave a warm and friendly smile to the children. They could tell she wasn't straining herself this time, and wasn't faking it. She bowed her head in greeting, "Welcome to Aether Paradise, children. My name is Wicke. I'm a professor and researcher here at the foundation."  
  
"Alola, Miss. I'm Moon, and this here is my friend, Hau."  
  
"Howzit?"  
  
"Hau, you say? You wouldn't happen to be Kahuna Hala's grand-child, now would you?" she asked, staring at Hau in shock. He nodded, putting his hands behind his head as he relaxed himself. "Yup! That's me!" he stated. She sweat a bit, but neither of them could tell if it was from shock or anxiety. She somehow mustered another smile, "Let me show you around...the main entrance is  _just_ above us." As the elevator made it's way back down, all 3 of them turned to it.  
  
The railings retracted into the floor, allowing them to board. Wicke smiled, pushing a button on the control panel to specify their desired destination. Once she confirmed it, the elevator rails raised up again and the platform began moving upwards. The children turned to Wicke, eager to gather information while they waited. "Sooo, uh, you're a researcher here, you said?" Moon asked, trying to sound as natural as possible. Wicke nodded, "That's correct. Well...I'm more a uh...glorified assistant, honestly."  
  
"It still sounds pretty important. What're you researching?" Hau asked.  
  
"Oh, well we do all  _sorts_ of research here. We research pokémon evolution, science, and we even have 1 or 2 more top secret research projects in the works."  
  
"Is there anything you guys  _don't_ do here?" Moon asked with a sneer.  
  
Wicke giggled, "Oh ho ho, well, we're not a five-star restaurant. But we do have five-star chefs that work here."  
  
"Man, this place has everything!" Hau gulped.  
  
Suddenly, the elevator stopped as they reached their destination. It was a 2 way path that lead to the front gates and some kind of oddly normal-looking mansion in the back end of the facility. Moon noticed it quickly, as did Hau. Wicke looked around the room as she began to give the kids an explanation. "This is the main entrance. You can have your pokémon taken care of at the reception desk there, if they need it," she said, gesturing to 2 desks on either side with a worker behind them by the entrance.  
  
She noticed the unmistakable matching amulets that hung from their bags. "Children?" she asked, prompting them to turn around to look at her. "You're both Trial-Goers, aren't you? Are you hoping to become Champions?" she asked. Moon nodded, smirking confidently as her Brionne did a flip in the air excitedly. "You betcha! I'm gonna be the best trainer Alola's  _ever_ seen!" she shouted. Hau put his hands behind his head again, "Well, I donno about Champion, but I definitely wanna try to beat Moon someday."  
  
Wicke giggled, "Lemme guess, you'd rather be a Kahuna, like your grand-father?" Hau's eyes lit up at this. He shot a glance at her. "How'd ya know?" he asked. Wicke smiled sadly at him. She looked down at the floor. It seemed as if she was lost a memory from long ago. "Oh, nothing. I think that's wonderful, young Hau. I never knew Hala personally, but I heard a lot about his terrible loss when his son fled the region out of shame. I'm sure you'll be a wonderful Kahuna, child," she lamented.  
  
Strangely, Hau was comforted by the sentiment. He smiled, and Moon could tell it was genuine. Wicke smiled back, the sad look fading from her irises. "So then, you must both be around...11, correct?" Moon blinked, surprised that she would guess so perfectly. "H-How'd you know  _that_?!" she yipped. Wicke giggled again, putting a hand over her mouth for a brief moment before bringing it back down over her skirt. "It's just common among trial-goers. The youngest you can start is 11," she explained.  
  
"This Island Challenge is really fun, but I definitely do wanna prove myself to Tapu Koko!" Hau chirped  
  
"How...how lovely, for you," Wicke said. The sadness returned to her eyes and the melancholy returned to her voice. "I suppose... _all_ children must yearn to take a journey of their own choosing when they get to be about your age." The statement was absolutely and utterly curious. What a strange thing to say. That is what both children thought. Even more strange was her tone. Almost as if...she was mourning someone. Someone important. Someone she held regret for.  
  
She shook her head, beaming brightly at them once again, "Though you're hardly just  _children_ anymore. Trainers are like  _parents_ to their pokémon!" Hau couldn't help but to once again think of his travel companion. He was the first of them to become like a fatherly or motherly figure to their pokémon. And true while Hau and Moon shared bonds with their pokémon, nothing was quite as strong as raising your own egg and caring for the child that hatched from it. It made Hau wonder, if he felt pride in upstaging his wretched mother.  
  
Moon looked at the back entrance again, pointing out the mansion not too far off. "Hey, Professor Wicke, what's that mansion back there for?" she asked. Wicke became flustered when the child pointed it out. "O-Oh! That! So glad you mentioned it. Do try to keep away from there children, that's the president's private living quarters. She's lived on this here island for years now and she's very sensitive about her things!" Wicke explained. This raised the children's brows in curiosity.  
  
Quickly, Wicke looked between the children and changed the subject. "Children, would you like to see the conservation area upstairs?" Hau tilted his head curiously, "Um...is that the 'Paradise floor'?" Wicke nodded silently. Moon shrugged, "Sure, why not?" Wicke turned to the control panel once again, pushing a button and securing their destination. As it began moving upwards again, Hau and Moon huddled together a few feet away from Wicke. Brionne and Torracat made it a point to make noises over their whispering.  
  
"This place  _looks_ nice...save for the bland color scheme. I mean, they even have a  _conservation_ area for rescued pokémon," Moon reviewed.  
  
"Y...Yeah..."  
  
"You're thinking the same thing  _I'm_  thinking, right?"  
  
"I-I'm not sure...I don't know  _what_ to think. I feel like it's even  _less_ clear how he's involved with this place...! How  _these_ are the guys after Null."  
  
They didn't notice it, as Wicke's head turned ever-so slightly towards them. Brionne and Torracat didn't either, caught up in trying to appear natural in their communication. Rotom, however, was the only one keeping tabs on her. And he might've reported the glance, had he not seen a strange glint in her eye. It was mixed in with the solemn and melancholy, but it was there. It was there and it spoke loud, loud volumes to Rotom. He didn't know why, either. The children continued talking, oblivious to it all.  
  
"Look, maybe we're underthinking things here."  
  
He raised a brow at her, "Don't you mean  _over_ thinking?"  
  
Moon shook her head, "No. This could all be a huge and well-constructed front. Adults are way too good at keeping secrets, after all."  
  
"That  _is_ true..."  
  
"That Wicke chick  _definitely_ knows something. I say we keep pressing her for information."  
  
Hau nodded, turning himself around to look at Wicke who still had her back turned to them. Moon followed his lead. Their pokémon stopped their yapping just as the elevator came to a stop. They noticed immediately the surrounding area was  _full_ of color. It was truly a sight for sore eyes. And the entire place was  _littered_ will all kinds of pokémon. Most noticeably, many Corosola scattered about by the more watery areas of the conservation area. Their eyes sparkled in awe of it, their impressed reactions not just acting for once.  
  
"We keep pokémon that have been targeted by thugs like the Skull Gang here. And we also try to support pokémon that need a  _little_ extra protection. Like those Corosola you see, for example. They are  _terribly_ over-hunted by a pokémon species called Mareanie," Wicke explained. The children just stared on in awe, leaning against the railings that kept them from entering the sealed-off areas. Wicke turned herself around, about to tell the children to follow her when she froze and gasped.  
  
"M-Madam President! I-I didn't know you'd be in  _here_ today!"  
  
The children froze instantly. They almost didn't  _want_ to turn around. Moon noticed Hau grip the railings even more tightly as sweat beat down his face. She could tell it was taking everything for him to keep it together. She too, was struggling to keep herself composed. Rotom beeped, being the only one of them who had already looked. It sounded exactly as they expected, as the cold, disturbing, absolutely horrifying voice of an older sounding woman entered the air and into their eardrums.  
  
"Well, as soon as I heard we had visitors, I just  _had_ to come see them for myself! After all, it's  _improper_ for me to avoid guests."  
  
They both swallowed hard. Slowly, and with extreme hesitance, they turned around to get a good look at her. She had long, incredibly strange and bright blonde hair. Her entire outfit was much like everything else in the facility, white. A black diamond badge was attached to the chest of it, and a golden, see-through layer of fabric hung off the skirt of her dress. She wore long black and white leggings, and boots that had long yellow heels that somehow revealed her toes ever-so slightly.  
  
But most noticeable and horrifying of all was her face. Her matured and nearly flawless complexion was disturbing. Almost as if she had plastic surgery or some un-natural method of keeping herself looking young and beautiful. And her green, unblinking eyes that were buried beneath faint eyeliner and long luscious lashes. _Those eyes_...those eyes they both _swore_ to Arceus they were _exactly_ the same. She smiled a gentle smile. But to them, it looked cunning and horrific.  
  
"And who might these  _adorable_ little sprouts be?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ew another cliffhanger? What are you Saucy, a sadist? ;w;


	32. Chapter 31 - And Then He Was Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hau and Moon finally meet the mastermind behind the Aether Foundation, President Lusamine. During their extended tour, they begin to learn very interesting details about the foundation, and how everything began.

"And who might these  _adorable_ little sprouts be?"  
  
Moon and Hau both were completely frozen in shock. They couldn't help it. For both of them, it was like everything had suddenly fallen perfectly into place. They began comparing facial structures and colors. Their minds surged with every single detail they took in of this woman. And at the same time, they became instantly horrified. They knew just by looking at her, whether or not  _they_ were related, that she was the mastermind behind it all. The one that had been hunting Gladion so persistently.  
  
This was their  _enemy_.  
  
_Those eyes...her face...it **can't** be...  
  
She looks... **just** like them...  
  
_The woman raised a brow at the children, before waving a hand in front of them. Wicke grinned nervously, as sweat beat down the skin on her face. She was truly, sincerely speechless as the children were. She wasn't expecting to run into her at all today. Internally, she cursed Faba for bringing more children into this place. "A-Ahem, th-these two are uhhh...Hau, and Moon. Hau here is Kahuna Hala's kin. Y-You heard about Kawika, right? This is  _his_ son," Wicke explained, gently grabbing Hau's shoulders from behind.  
  
"Kawika? Oh, right, him. Never talked to him much, I know he had just the  _loveliest_ little girlfriend. Iolana, right? She's such a carefree and relaxed woman. Oh, how I envy her so~!" the mysterious woman praised. Hau swallowed hard, snapping back to reality quickly. He had to play it cool. Even if she truly was the woman he suspected her to be, now was not the time to act. He was here to investigate, and that's what he'd do. He forced a smile, somehow hiding the sweat on his face as he laughed.  
  
"Yeah, sometimes I do too! I wish I had as much composure as  _she_ does!"  
  
"Oh you sweet little boy, you!"  
  
She turned to look at Moon next. Her pulse began rushing as she gulped, mustering the fakest smile she could. "So, you're Moon. And are  _you_ the one that helped my inferior and his intern with the Skull Gang the other day?" she asked, resting her hand under her chin. Moon nodded, "Y-Yup. That's me. It was no problem, really. I've been dealing with these clowns for weeks." The woman raised a brow at this. Then she smiled again. She rested both her hands on her cheeks, "Ah, such humble and innocent little children. I welcome you both with open arms!"  
  
Wicke blinked at this, still nervous. "Oh, right, how rude of me. I should introduce myself," the woman realized. "I'm the president of this foundation, but you may just call me Lusamine. It's so nice to meet such lovely young trainers!" Hau felt Wicke's grip on his shoulders grow tighter as Lusamine approached. Shockingly, the only thing he felt remotely threatened by was Lusamine's approach. Slowly, she pat his head. "My sincerest condolences, little Hau. I heard about your father briefly quite a while ago," she cooed.  
  
"G-Gee, everyone here knows a whole lot about me..."  
  
"Ho ho, don't be frightened. I've just lived here a very long time, same as the rest of your family."  
  
"I see. Were you born here?"  
  
"Nope. I was born in Kalos. I moved here when I graduated college."  
  
"Kalos, huh...?"  
  
"Oh, right, you're probably wondering if I know Kaloch. Yes, quite fluently."  
  
Moon sneered at Hau's line of questioning. Perhaps he knew something she didn't. Before Hau could respond, Lusamine took her hand off his head and walked past them. "Little Hau, I want you to know that I understand how you feel. Kawika is quite the coward. Giving up a perfect life with a loving wife and a luxurious position. He always  _did_ strike me as an ungrateful brat," she said. Hau just nodded, and even Wicke could see the hurt hidden in his eyes. "Um, thanks, Miss Lusamine," he muttered, half-heartedly.  
  
She turned around again, smiling welcomingly at them. For all her intimidating demeanor, she was an immaculate actor. "Come, follow me, children," she beckoned. The exchanged glances, before stepping forward and following behind Lusamine anxiously. Wicke treaded behind the children, still uneasy. "I'm so glad there are people like you, who travel the islands to learn more about pokémon," she praised. She frowned, feigning a sad and pitiful look in her eyes, "But there are also those  _unfortunate_ people who harm pokémon for their own  _selfish_  gain."  
  
They all stopped, reaching a dead end at the front of the conservation area. She turned around, spreading her arms out wide. It was almost a gesture of welcoming, an offering of sanctity. "And that is why I am here. I will be like a mother to all of these poor pokémon and shower them with love." She flashed a smile before she continued, "Even pokémon from distant worlds, far from the Alola region are  _worthy_  of my love." The children tried their best not to look disturbed by the declaration. However, their curiosity peaked as well.  
  
_Distant worlds?_ Moon thought. Hau put his hands behind his head, smiling back at her falsely, "Wow, Miss Lusamine! I don't know how you do all this! You're, like, not even that much older than us!" Moon rolled her eyes at his ditzy feint. Lusamine blinked at him blankly. At first, they were concerned Hau had offended her, until she burst into a fit of giggling. She grinned down at him, "Oh, you sweet boy! I'm already over 40!" Moon sweat even harder, her face darkening slightly in disbelief as she froze at the statement.  _40?!_ she thought.  
  
Hau didn't seem to register the answer as serious just yet. He grinned at her facetiously, "You are?" Her face turned completely blank but serious. She didn't respond for a long moment. Hau's eyes lit up as he finally processed that she was being serious. "Wait... _WHAT_?!" he yelped. Lusamine giggled again. She did so enjoy the reaction whenever people learned of her older age. Deep in the back of their heads, the children couldn't help but be off-put by this. She most certainly did  _not_ look to be over 40. She looked far, far younger.  
  
It wasn't natural, surely. She smiled at them again, "Oh, you! The right style does  _wonders_ ,you know. And, Hau, your style is a bit wanting, hm?" She put a hand on her hip again as she looked over him. They could see strained disgust in her eyes at his fashion sense. It was no surprise, either. The woman seemed vehemently in love with white. Dark colors probably irked her to her core. "I'll have to take you out sometime and help you pick a  _smashing_ outfit," she offered. Wicke sweat even harder at the suggestion.  
  
Hau's facade slipped as he gave Lusamine a displeased look, "L-Like what  _you_ wear? I don't think anyone could pull off  _that_ kind of look." Lusamine's expression changed, seeming slightly shocked by the answer. Her posture became much more unknowingly threatening as she put her other hand on her hip as well. Her face turned slightly darker. Wicke was sure she meant for it to come off as serious, but it just came off as angry. Hau realized his mistake and chuckled nervously to make up for his slip-up. However, it wasn't good enough.  
  
"Oh, don't you worry. Just leave everything up to me," she insisted. Moon gripped onto the strap of her purse. She wondered why this woman intimidated her so much. And her strange interest in Hau was beginning to concern her. Wicke noticed Lusamine's eye twitch ever-so slightly. She swallowed hard, fidgeting with her hands anxiously. Moon noticed this, watching her carefully. The children and Wicke both were left speechless to Lusamine's next words, all of them, completely unable to think of a way to follow it up.  
  
"Trust me. Children would all be  _much_ happier if they'd only listen to the adults around them."  
  
The declaration didn't leave a whole lot open to the imagination. Much like her appearance. Much like almost everything that came out of her mouth. Moon was completely certain of it now. This woman, whoever she was, she was definitely the same one. Hau, however, was still foolishly trying to reason with himself that it wasn't. The long silence was maddening. Thankfully, and yet not so thankfully, it was broken by an employee that was standing nearby. They all turned their heads to look at them as soon as their voice rose into the air.  
  
"If you ask me, way too many kids are spoiled rotten these days."  
  
Lusamine nodded at this, resting a hand under her chin again. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Hmph, spoiled children don't  _have_ a family. Nobody loves children like that..." she muttered. Hau and Moon both nearly gasped aloud in disgust at this. But they restrained themselves. Before anyone could even  _think_ of a way to challenge it, however, a tremor began shaking the floor below their feet. It last only a few short moments, but it was incredibly strong. As soon as it stopped, Wicke looked around in confusion.  
  
"That tremor...did something happen on the lower floors?" Lusamine didn't respond to the question. Moon looked around, her eyes landing on a blinking bright crack just above them. She pointed it out quickly, her eyes wide with fear. "U-Up there!" she called. Everyone's attention immediately trained towards it. As it began to tear open further and further, a strong breeze flew out of the hole and rustled their hair and clothes. Rotom covered up his screen, paranoid of any dirt or debris that could be swept up onto him as a result of the wind.  
  
The hole flashed with a bright light, forcing Hau to shield his eyes. Everyone else could only stare in awe. None of them noticed, as Lusamine slowly grinned a wide and pure grin. Then, out of the newly formed hole floated a strange creature. It was completely white, and it much resembled a jellyfish. It also had a very alien appearance. It didn't look like a pokémon of any kind. It's bulbous head was decorated with star-shaped patterns all across it. It's tendrils were all bundled in a large mess. It much resembled a beautiful woman in a floppy hat and low-hanging dress.  
  
Lusamine stepped closer, passing Moon as she stopped just a few feet from it. Wicke gulped nervously, reaching her arm out towards her but unable to speak from shock and fright. Lusamine's smile had faded in favor of a shocked expression. "You are..." she began, trailing off quickly. She seemed to almost be at a loss for words. "Have you come from... _a distant world_?" she asked the creature. It moaned back at her in confusion. It appeared to be injured and lost. Almost... _fearful_ , in a way. For some reason, the creature's appearance reminded the children of Gladion.  
  
"Veno...meno..." it groaned.  
  
Hau was frozen in fear. What  _was_ this thing? And what was that hole? So much didn't make any sense. "That thing's...not right..." he muttered under his breath. The creature shifted uncomfortably. Lusamine shook her head, sporting a sorrowful look. This time, it seemed entirely genuine. Or at least, somewhat so. They could tell she was mad enough to believe what she said next, "You poor creature..." Wicke darted forward, not touching Lusamine but leaning in to get her attention. "M-Madam President, stand back! It's hostile!"  
  
Moon scowled, stepping forward with her Brionne who flopped alongside her still. She held her arm out to block Lusamine off from the creature. "Leave this to me, Madam President. You should get back," she insisted. Lusamine blinked, taking a few steps back, but making no effort to flee. Hau just watched on alongside the 2 older women. Rotom beeped curiously, trying to scan the creature. A loud and unpleasant beep, indicating an error, played from his speakers. "N-N-No data! It do-o-oesn't even have a name o-o-on record!" he shouted.  
  
"What...?!" Moon yelped. "Venomenom!" the creature hissed, suddenly enveloping itself in a bright red aura. It glowed brightly with the aura, and it didn't seem to be fading anytime soon. Moon raised a brow at this as Rotom beeped. "It's like the aura Totem Pokémon use...zzt!" he muttered. Scanning the strange creature again, his screen flash with information for Moon to look over. "Wo-o-oah! It's stats are all boosted up! It must be the work of the aura it's wrapped itself in!" he declared. Moon scowled. She wouldn't let this creature intimidate her.  
  
The creature's tendrils began to extend, reaching for Brionne. Moon acted quickly, "Dodge it, then use Water Gun!" Brionne jumped out of the way, spraying water out of it's mouth at the creature. It cried out in pain, falling to the floor and moaning. Moon was shocked by how well the attack worked. Rotom chimed in again, "It lo-o-ooks like it's weak to Water Type attacks!" Moon raised a brow at this.  _It doesn't look like any Fire Type **I've** seen. Is it a Rock Type, then? _she wondered. She didn't waste much time as she gave out her next order.  
  
"Brionne, use Aqua Jet to push it back!" Brionne cried out as it enveloped itself in a tunnel of water. Charging itself at the Nihilego, it was knocked back by a strong counter-stream the creature spit out at it. The sea-lion pokémon cried out in pain, landing on it's back. It's face turned a dark purple color as it coughed. Moon gasped in shock. "Bri-i-ionne has been poisoned! Zzt!" Rotom cried. Moon reached into her purse to look for some kind of antidote, but she cursed under her breath to find she was fresh out. She turned to look at the creature again.  
  
It was now once again floating above the ground. However, it floated low, it's tendrils sweeping along the floor. It looked to be incredibly weak, despite it's boosted power. She shook her head, "We'll deal with it later! Brionne, again! Aqua Jet! Push it back into the crack!" Brionne charged forward again in another tunnel of water. This time, it successfully slammed into the beast. It cried out in more pain, but the sound faded as Brionne's Aqua Jet pushed it back into the hole from which it came. The hole continued flashing with bright white lights for a few minutes.  
  
Then, finally, one last and particularly bright flash forced them to shield their eyes. When they looked up again, the hole and the creature were gone. All was silent. Wicke fell to her knees, sighing in relief that the nightmare was over. Or at least...the worst of it had concluded. Hau immediately approached Moon, handing her a Pecha Berry out of his bag. "H-Here, take this. It should make Brionne feel better," he offered. She gladly took it, thanking Hau briefly before feeding it to her Brionne. Miraculously, it cured it nearly instantly.  
  
Lusamine's eyes narrowed again, still staring at the spot where the beat was. She looked down, only half conscious she was speaking aloud. "So, it's true...I still need that pokémon. I need to get it back," she muttered. Wicke slowly pulled herself up to her feet. She turned to Lusamine, urgent to take her mind off her train of thought. "M-Madam President, are you alright?" Wicke asked. Lusamine turned to look at her, pulling back out her cheerful facade as she smiled brightly. "Ah, yes. I'm quite alright, Wicke," she assured.  
  
Rotom floated up to the women, his screen going crazy and flickering with all sorts of expressions. "Ma-a-adam President! Zzt! Wha-a-at  _was_ that thing?!" he yelped. Lusamine put a hand on her cheek, grinning a gross and maniacal grin. The children turned around to look at her again. The look on her face once again rendered them fearful. "That, my dear, was an Ultra Beast. Precious creatures, are they not?" she explained. Wicke's eyes flickered with sadness again. She was still sweating and fidgeting with her hands. And still, it did not go un-noticed by the children.  
  
"You see, children. We've been studying a  _magnificent_ and  _beautiful_ place called Ultra Space. The Ultra Beasts are  _precious_  creatures that hail from this world. An entirely different dimension to our own. Sometimes these precious beasts enter our world through portals called Ultra Wormholes. We've been studying it for  _decades_  now. Ever since I was little, I've been researching these precious beasts."  
  
"So...there are  _more_  of those things out there?" Moon asked.  
  
Lusamine nodded, "Indeed. We believe they come in  _all sorts_ of shapes, sizes, and even colors. The one  _you_  just saw is a beast we've seen here before. We've been working hard on preparing for our first expedition into Ultra Space. But it's a lot of work. And it's hard to manage with all the Skull Gang antics we're forced to set time aside for. Not to mention, some unforeseen complications with our preparation."  
  
"Unforeseen complications?"  
  
"Oh, don't worry, children. Everything will be just fine, I assure you."  
  
She turned to Wicke, placing a hand on her hip again. "Wicke, go downstairs and see what went wrong. I'll continue showing the children around the facility myself," she ordered. Wicke bowed her head, seeming incredibly hesitant to follow this command. Straightening her posture again, she shot the kids a sorrowful glance. "A-At once, ma'am..." she muttered, shuffling over to the elevator. As soon as Wicke disappeared down to the lower floors, Lusamine turned her attention back towards the children. They both made it a point to kick up their acting.  
  
"Come along, children. There is still much to explore!"

 

* * *

  
The elevator stopped at the main entrance once again. As the children deboarded, they yawned. Lusamine glanced outside, noticing it was now pitch-black. "Oh dear...is it so late already? Apologies for keeping you so long, dears. Tell you what, how about you stay here for the night? You can take 1 of the guest rooms in my mansion," she offered, putting a gentle hand on each of their shoulders. The suggestion snapped Hau out of his exhausted state. He looked outside as well, finding that she was right. It took everything in him to hide his panic.  
  
Moon blushed in embarrassment. She glanced to Hau apologetically, running a hand through her hand. "Oh... _w-wow_ , uhhh..." she muttered. Lusamine grinned again, "I insist! I couldn't possibly send you kids home on a ferry this late! You should get some rest. Think of it as a thank-you gift for all your help today!" Moon mustered a friendly smile, beaming up at Lusamine as best she could. "Well...it would be rather  _rude_ of us to decline, now  _wouldn't_ it?" she said, hinting to Hau the risk of turning Lusamine down as best she could. Thankfully, he caught her drift.  
  
"Y-Yeah! Sure thing. You sure are generous, Miss Lusamine!" he praised. She giggled at the children again. Their polite attitudes were truly delightful to her. She turned around, leading them to the back entrance towards the mansion. They followed nervously and reluctantly, both of them taking in the large home with only slight awe. It was most certainly an impressive piece of architecture. Once they were inside, they observed 4 different stair cases. 2 leading up, and 2 leading down. Lusamine lead them up a staircase on the left.  
  
After passing through a door at the top, she lead them to a room at the end of a long hallway. Opening the door for them, they looked inside to see a luxurious bed room with 2 beds inside and a couple of small beds for pokémon on the floor. Brionne flopped inside as Torracat curled into one of the beds as it yawned. Lusamine shuffled the children inside the room, basking in their impressed expressions. She giggled again, "Well, have fun children. And don't worry about making too much noise. These walls are entirely sound-proof."  
  
Rather than impressive, the tiny detail sounded so sinister to them at this point. "Thanks, Miss Lusamine!" Hau squeaked. Lusamine nodded, turning herself around to exit out the room again. "Well, have a good night, children. I'll have Wicke see you to your ferry in the morning after you've been given a  _full_  breakfast. Au revoir~!" she chirped. Without the children turning to look at her, she swiftly exited the room, closing the door softly behind her. Even if she didn't slam it, it seemed like an explosion in the tense and quiet air.  
  
The  _second_ the door shut, their smiles fell. Moon turned around quickly, pressing her ear against the door. Hau stood perfectly still, not daring to move until Moon's command. She was tense as she listened to the sound of Lusamine's heels clacking against the floor, and the sound of another door opening and closing before the sound was too distant to catch. Finally, she let out a long, exasperated sigh of relief. Slowly, she turned to look at her rival, who was staring at the floor in deep thought.  
  
"...Hau...?"  
  
He looked up at her, his eyes seemed lost, "...Moon?"  
  
They kept eye contact for a long time. Silence plagued the room. Then, she spoke up again, "...That was her. Wasn't it?" He nodded, his face contorting in discomfort. The whole time, despite their smiles, despite their enthusiastic charade, they had both been ready to drop dead. It sounded better than having to look that dreadful woman in the eye. Than to laugh off her  _disgusting_ comments. "...Yeah. I think it was," he said, his voice full of uncertainty and tensity. Rotom beeped, floating towards one of the beds as he observed the room.  
  
"So-o-o, it wasn't just me? Zzt!"  
  
Both children took a deep breath, before they each took a bed. Moon taking the one on the left side where Rotom was, and Hau taking the other one on the right side. They didn't speak for a long time. It was nearly an hour before they even looked at each other. They were too caught up in trying to put all of the things they had learned on their tour together. The entire day was the most stressful they had ever lived in their entire lives. Moon was sure she was ready for anything, but she was wrong. She was so very, horribly wrong. Hau's head was scrambled with all sorts of doubts.   
  
_So she's from Kalos...and she's fluent in their language. Just like his mom. And he said he was **technically** born in Alola, but he's never been on any of the islands before. This place...is in Alolan waters. Faba himself said that. If he was raised  **here**...that would make sense.  
  
_His thoughts wandered back to how she spoke about his father again. At first glance, it seemed like a sympathetic sentiment. But putting her and Gladion's mother in the same wavelength...it sounded as though she was projecting. Did she feel betrayed by her children? Did she truly not see that she was in the wrong? She talked so fondly of being a mother, but yet she spat on children in every other breath. It seemed the only reason they had favor with her was due to their well-constructed facade. Everything down to her use of vocabulary spoke volumes.  
  
Worthy, precious, beautiful. She was obsessed. She was insane. Moon couldn't help but also be curious to this obsession. And that disgusting creature...it was so disturbing to watch her fawn over it. Perhaps she was just being too judgmental of the creature itself. Still, she definitely remembered Lusamine's slip-up.  _She needs a pokémon...but for what? Was she talking about Null?_ she wondered. Even with all they had gathered, much about the entire situation was a complete mystery to them. She looked up at Hau once her thoughts had settled.  
  
"Hau...?"  
  
He didn't respond. He was still caught up in his own swirling thoughts. "Hau!" she repeated, a bit more loudly this time to get his attention. He immediately snapped out of it, gasping in surprise. He turned to look at her. He gave a shameful look, "S...Sorry..." Moon sighed. She couldn't blame him. After all, he must've been the most troubled between them. "It's fine...you must be thinking about a lot right now, huh?" she asked. Hau raised a brow at her, hugging his pillow for comfort. "Well...are you?" he retorted, throwing her question back at her with uncertainty.  
  
She threw her hands up in the air, "Of course I am! None of this makes  _any_  sense! I have no  _idea_ how  _any_ of this went down at  _all_." Hau nodded, still being not completely sure of how it all began himself. He looked down again, his face going a bit blank. "This president...she's almost  _nothing_  like I imagined and yet she's also  _exactly_  how I imagined her," Hau admitted. Moon tilted her head and sneered in confusion. She wasn't quite sure what he meant. "What do you mean?" she asked, unsure of what he was getting at exactly.  
  
"I only heard a few things here or there from her lackeys on the islands...about how Gladion stole Null from her. And Gladion himself said that she hurtone of the Nulls during their escape. But...there's  _one_  thing he hasn't said for  _sure_."  
  
"And...what would that be?"  
  
"His...mother..."  
  
"...What about her?"  
  
"He never told me how  _Lusamine_  played into all this, how he even knew her to begin with. But...he's said that his mother used to abuse him. She broke his hand, and took away his pokémon. And you heard what he told us yesterday about his father. He was a pokémon researcher. And...one more thing. He told me his mother was from Kalos. That she speaks Kaloch."  
  
Moon processed this line of thinking for a long moment. She remembered a thought that had faded away just the day before. She put a hand under her chin, "He said he used to know Burnet because she worked with his mother, right?" Hau nodded, raising a brow at her. "Kukui told me once that...his wife used to work here. At the Aether Foundation," she admitted. Hau's eyes widened, "A-Are you  _serious_?!" Moon nodded. They both blinked, finally getting back to the most obvious piece of evidence they had.  
  
"...Her eyes...they look so much like his. It's...scary."  
  
"Yeah...and how many people do you know these days who's got blonde hair  _and_ green eyes?"  
  
"I can only think of one..."  
  
"And  _I_ can think of another one..."  
  
They stared at each other again. They both had too much reason to believe their theory. However, they were still definitely missing vital pieces of the puzzle. "In the morning, when we return to Akala, we should ask him," Moon suggested. Hau's eyes widened at this, "But I don't wanna push him!" Moon rubbed at her temples, trying her hardest to remain patient. She reminded herself that Hau was gentle for a reason. She gave him a stern look as she continued, "Hau, this is  _really_  important. You want him to stay, right?"  
  
His eyes lit up as they sparkled with realization. She could hear him gasp lightly at the question. His face flushed, as he turned his eyes back down at the bed. She didn't need to hear his answer. She already knew. "Maybe if he tells us more, we'll be able to deal with Lusamine  _ourselves_. That way...he can stay as long as he  _wants_  and  _never_  have to worry about her  _ever_   _again_ ," she explained. Hau was still silent. His thoughts swirled back to his guilt with leaving his companion alone for so long. He sighed sadly, unable to argue with Moon's flawless point.  
  
"I...guess you're right. I  _did_ say I would help him. I just hope he's not scared out there by himself."  
  
"Hey, you told him you're friends right? I'm  _sure_  he has faith in you."  
  
Hau smiled softly at the kind thought. "Yeah..." he muttered. She returned the smile in kind, "Don't stop smiling Hau. I'm always relying on you to wear one when the rest of us can't, you know." Hau sweat slightly, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he chuckled. "G-Gee...pressure, much?" he joked. She tilted her head at him again. She decided to try lifting the mood a bit. "Hey, Hau?" she asked. He looked up at her curiously, ceasing his laughter immediately. He blinked, "Is something wrong?"  
  
"Nah...I was just wondering something."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I promise I won't tell a peep to nobody. Buuut...do you have a crush on Mr Sunshine?"  
  
Hau's face went completely red. He buried his face in his pillow, squealing in embarrassment. Moon burst out into a fit of giggles. It was truly an innocent sight to behold. "Oh, geez! Forget  _crush_ , you're madly in love, aren't ya?" she teased. He squeaked even louder, steam pouring out his ears. Tears came to her eyes from how hard she had been laughing. "O-Ok, ok, I'm sorry! I don't mean to be a jerk. Seriously though, I'm just curious. You guys are like...the  _cutest_ couple," she sniffed, wiping away her tears as her breathing steadied.  
  
Hau sighed, pulling his face out of his pillow with a pout. He tried his best to look mad, but he failed miserably. "I-It's just...he's so fragile and timid and...and smart. He's always looking out for me, and even though he thinks he's a coward he's always doing all these brave things for me and for other people. He could've easily left me in the dirt by now...but he's still stuck with me," he explained, frantically. Moon smiled softly as her eyes twinkled with joy. She was glad that they got along so perfectly. Perhaps once they returned home, she could start helping Hau win the grump's heart.  
  
Suddenly, Rotom interrupted the moment as he beeped, pointing to a time displayed on his screen. "Hey you guys, it's getting late! You should get to sleep soon!" he scolded. Moon rolled her eyes, sticking her tongue out at Rotom. "Oh  _fine_. Good night Hau, and try not to worry too much. If you ask me, I think he might be just as nutty for you as you are for him," she assured. He blushed just thinking about it.  _Gladion being in love with me...I could only_ ** _hope_  ** _for something so convenient_  he thought. He flashed her a smile as he waved at her from across the room.  
  
"Ahiahi, Moon!"  
  
The children turned off all the lights, laying down in their beds quietly as they prepared to head to sleep. Moon snuggled up with her Brionne, falling asleep incredibly quickly. Torracat had long since been unconscious, slumbering peacefully in it's pet bed. Hau, however, would be the only one to sit in wake for the next hour. He still had lots of doubts and fears swirling in his head that kept him wide awake. He prayed that Gladion would forgive him for leaving him alone for so long. Hopefully, at least, they could talk once he returned.

 

* * *

  
It was a surprisingly quiet and serene morning. Having just finished their honorary breakfast, they were surprised to see Wicke enter the dining room where they were sat. She bowed her head, smiling warmly at them. "Greetings, and good morning, children. Have you finished?" she greeted. Moon nodded, standing up from her seat at the table. All their pokémon were out of their balls and scattered around the room. Including Tauros, who was currently in a circle with the rest of Hau's pokémon as they talked to his Torracat about the previous day's events.  
  
Hau walked up to it, petting it's horns gently to keep it's attention on him. It grunted in pleasure, nuzzling Hau's face lovingly. Hau chuckled, "Alright, alright. Did you guys finish up?" The pokémon chittered, some wagging their tails and hopping up and down with excitement. "Right then, when you're ready I'll be taking you down to the docks," Wicke explained. They nodded, calling back all their pokémon save for Torracat and Brionne. They swiftly cleaned up the mess still left on the table, and grabbed their bags off of their chairs.   
  
Brionne flopped beside Torracat, chatting away with great enthusiasm. They were both excited to continue their trials soon. As they exited the mansion, the children turned a glance behind them at it one last time. Moon noticed Hau scowling and shot him a worried look. He noticed, and quickly softened up on his glare. They didn't speak. There was nothing left to be said between them right now. Right now they had to focus. Boarding the elevator, they had their back turned to Wicke. At this point, they no longer believed she could offer them anything better than Lusamine already had.  
  
The ride down seemed to take ages longer than they remembered. Once it did reach the bottom, Brionne flopped off eagerly and Torracat followed after it. Moon followed the pokémon, making her way towards the boat. Hau too was about to follow, when suddenly he felt something grab his wrist. "Ah-?!" he gasped, motioning to turn around. However, Wicke hissed in a hasty whisper just behind his ear, "Don't freak out. There are cameras watching us..." Hearing this made him freeze immediately. He sweat profusely, trying his hardest not to look mortified.  
  
Torracat noticed this, turning around to look at it's master curiously. It meowed a low meow that caught Brionne and Moon's attention. They both turned around to see what the commotion was. Hau's nerves eased up a bit at Wicke's next words, "Don't worry...I don't intend to sell you out." For some reason, her tone made it hard to not believe her. However, this only raised more questions. Did she hear them talking? Maybe they had slipped up. How could they make such a mistake? If she wasn't looking to drag them down, then what  _did_ she want?  
  
He felt her place something in his hand. It felt smooth, and it was a bit sharp. But not enough to cut his hand. "Just... _please_...give this to him," she begged. Hau's eyes went wide again. Moon noticed this, wincing uneasily. She couldn't hear what Wicke was saying. What was going on? Was he compromised? Wicke continued to whisper to him, "And tell him I'm sorry. Keep him safe." For some reason, her words snapped something inside of Hau. The last time he recalled being so angry was when Gladion first ran away from the house.  
  
The scowl returned to his face as his eyes darkened. He tugged his arm away from her and forced it out of her grip. Backing away from her, he glared at her in complete disgust. She gasped, staring back at him in shock and terror. Moon began to feel nervous again. She hadn't seen Hau act anything remotely like this in a long time. "Hau...?" she called. He ignored her, looking down into his hand to inspect what she had handed him. It was a strange looking Z-Crystal, it was formed slightly differently than a normal crystal. It was a unique caramel color.  
  
The symbol embedded in it resembled two faces of the same pokémon. It appeared to resemble a wolf overall. But he couldn't quite tell for sure what it was supposed to be. He closed his hand around it, forcefully composing himself. He glanced away from her, glaring at the ground. It was clear to him what role she played now. There was no other reason she would say such things to him otherwise. Despite pitying her somewhat, he still couldn't help but feel enraged. It was a feeling that was boiling inside him ever-so slowly ever since he laid eyes on Lusamine.  
  
"You're no better than  _her_..." he hissed, bitterly.  
  
Wicke gasped, tears welling up in her eyes. As he turned away from her and began towards Moon and their pokémon, she fell to her knees again. She whimpered and sniveled pathetically, burying her face in her hands. Moon could only watch Hau with a confused and worried look as he passed her to board the boat. Torracat was the first to chase after him. She followed behind, snapping out of her trance. "H-Hau, wait!" she called, boarding the ship as her Brionne dived into the water surrounding the boat.   
  
Once Moon caught up to Hau, she found he was no longer scowling. Instead he was holding a clenched hand close to his chest. He seemed to be holding onto something. Moon approached him carefully, reaching an arm out to comfort him. "Hau...? Is everything ok?" she asked. He looked up at her, not flinching away or scowling as she laid a hand on one of his arms. He sighed, "I guess...I just really  _hate_ this place." Moon smiled warmly and nodded. "Well, don't worry. You can go be with him real soon," she reminded him. He smiled back at her upon hearing this.  
  
At least there was a silver-lining in all this.

 

* * *

  
It didn't take them long to get back to the hotel once they deboarded at the Hano docks. Upon approaching the building, they noticed that the Aether Foundation lackeys were all completely gone. Even as they stepped inside the lobby, there wasn't a single one in sight. They sighed in relief of this. Hau turned to Moon again, gripping onto the straps of his backpack nervously. "Alright...just wait down here. He might need a minute before he'll agree to talk," he insisted. Moon nodded, "Sure thing. I'll keep an eye out for any lackeys just in case."  
  
He nodded back at her. He turned himself around, heading for the elevator. Torracat could feel the pure anxiety and guilt radiating off it's master. It nudged at his leg, trying to comfort him. Hau smiled half-heartedly, petting his head as thanks. Once again, the elevator ride seemed to take forever despite only needing to go up a couple of floors. All he could think about was the first thing he should say. He glanced down at the crystal in his hand again. He wondered what significance it could've had to Gladion, now that he thought about it.  
  
He didn't even know what Z-Crystals were before Hau had to explain it to him. Perhaps she was saving it as some sort of future present. He had no clue. His thoughts were interrupted as the elevator doors swung open at his destination. He swallowed hard, stepping out into the hall nervously. Torracat kept on nuzzling his leg to inch him along towards the room. Once they were stood outside the door, Torracat sat as it's master kept staring anxiously at the door. It mewed up at him in an attempt to snap him out of it.  
  
It worked like a charm. Hau shook his head frantically, slapping his hands against his cheeks. "Pull it together, Hau. Just get it over with...! He'll just be more upset the longer you put it off...!" Pulling out his key card, he unlocked the door. Slowly, he turned the door knob and pushed it open. The lights were off still, just like when he had first left. Torracat shuffled inside first, and Hau waited before he followed. Torracat began mewing frantically, sounding incredibly confused, but not panicked. This drove Hau to finally step inside.  
  
_Empty...  
  
_That's all it was. An _empty_ , dark room. The curtain was still closed, concealing the balcony outside. Nothing, not person nor pokémon resided in this room besides Hau and Torracat. Immediately, he was sent into a full blown panic. As Torracat began digging under Gladion's bed to look for anything left behind, Hau quickly went outside onto the balcony. Even still, there was nobody in sight. He turned to Torracat who had already jumped onto the top of the bed to continue it's search. "A-Anything?!" Hau yelped, desperate for some kind of answer.  
  
The Torracat turned to him, shaking it's head. "Mrow!" it yowled, seeming just as panicked and confused as Hau was. He began running his hands through his hair. "N-Not even his bag? Did he leave a note anywhere?" he asked. Torracat shook it's head again. It had already sniffed and searched most of the room when it first came in. There was nothing left to find. Immediately, Hau made his way towards the door again. Torracat followed, eager to find it's friends just as Hau was. It seemed every trip on the elevator today was hours longer than it normally was.  
  
As soon as the doors open, he rushed right to Moon. His breathing was heavy and panicked and right away she didn't even have to ask why. Her eyes widened in shock and fright. Torracat had already started relaying the situation to Brionne, who too became panicked and worried. Hau was still trying to compose himself, tired from running to the elevator. Moon gulped. She already knew. She was certain she knew. But still, it seemed her brain wouldn't believe it until she heard it for herself. "H...Hau...?!" she begged,  _hoping_ it  _wasn't_ what she knew.  
  
"Moon...h-he's...he's  _gone_!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhangers! Cliffhangers everywhere! Someone stop this absolute madwoman! OMO
> 
> Hahaha for realsies tho y'all, startin' to feel bad for what I put these muffins through ;w;


	33. Chapter 32 - I Called Your Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hau and Moon have finally returned from Aether Paradise, only to find that Gladion is missing. Now they're on a wild goose chase to find him before he's hurt, or worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy this special chapter I've prepared for y'all, occurring entirely through Hau's point of view. Thank you for 1.5K reads!

"He's  _gone_!"  
  
It was the worst thing that ever escaped my lips. I already knew that she was hoping it was a lie. Deep down, I wished it was too. It took her a minute to respond. Not that I blamed her. Even still, I was also hoping she had some immediate answer. Some solution that would make this all magically undone. "Wh...what about his pokémon? His bag? Did he leave a note, anything at all?!" she asked, frantically. I shook my head. I was fighting the tears pushing at the back of my eyes now. "No, nothing. Everything he owned is completely gone!" I confirmed.  
  
She looked around the room, almost as if looking for something. Then, she let out a loud cry of frustration. She grabbed my wrist, dragging me towards the front door of the hotel. "M-Moon, hold on! Where are you taking me?!" I yelped, despite already having an idea. She didn't stop walking as she turned her head to look at me. There was some kind of determined glint in her eyes. It made my nerves ease a bit, but not much. "If he's out there then we gotta start looking,  _now_ ," she declared. As soon as she pulled me outside, she released me and kept on going.  
  
I followed after her without hesitation. It wasn't the best plan, but we had to do  _something_. Already, theories were building in my head. Did he run away again? That'd be no surprise, I was foolish enough to leave him alone for an entire  _night_! What was I thinking?! He probably thinks I'm captured, or  _worse_. Or maybe he just ran off to the Hano Resort to wait for us. No, we probably would've seen him when we showed up if  _that_ were the case. Then, the worst possible explanation entered my brain as we approached the Pokémon Center.  
  
_The Aether Foundation...  
  
_I stopped dead in my tracks. It didn't take Moon all that long to notice, and she stopped too, spinning around to look at me. She raised a brow at me, "Hau, what are you  _doing_?!" I gulped. I  _really_  didn't wanna think about this right now. But I had to consider it. If I didn't, I'd be a fool. “Moon...what if they took him?” I asked. Her eyes widened. It seemed she hadn’t realized it until now either. She shook her head, “N-No way, I mean...w-we would’ve known! We were  _right_  there! We couldn’t have missed…” She couldn’t even continue reasoning it anymore.  
  
Rotom began trying to process reports, something,  _anything_  that might tell us what happened to him. Unfortunately, his search came up flat as a brick. “The-e-ere’s no reports on anything. Zzt! No-o-ot even the A-A-Aether Foundation,” he said. It only served to frustrate and panic me further. Did they have enough power to cover up a kidnapping? Did they come into our room? Oh Arceus...I’m the worst friend imaginable! How could I give him false hope like this? Even if we found him now, I bet he’d hate my guts. I can’t possibly live with that guilt!  
  
A loud and familiar screech reached my ears. My eyes grew wide as I knew what it was. I turned around, looking around until I spotted the source of the noise. Just as I suspected, it was a Zubat. It was flying high in the sky above us. Moon blinked, not recognizing the bat pokémon as I did. “A...Zubat? What’s it doing? Is it threatening us?” she asked. I shook my head, “No. I...I think that’s  _his_  Zubat.” We waved it down, and it flew down towards us. As soon as it did, I was frantically questioning it. I didn’t know what else to do. “Zubat! Wh-where is he? Is he hurt?!”   
  
The Zubat screeched at me again, flying past us and beckoning us to follow. We didn’t hesitate, and followed it’s lead quickly. It lead us down the street, until we reached Diglett’s Tunnel. It flew inside, and Moon ran ahead of me. “I’ve been in here before, just stick close!” she warned. I nodded, following her directions and being careful not to stray too far behind her. After traversing throughout the large and complicated pathways, Zubat lead us out the other end onto Route 9. It kept going, shifting to the right towards a large arch that lead into a city.   
  
Rotom beeped again as we entered. “Ne-e-ew location! Konikoni City! Map updated!” he cried out. We ignored him, still running behind Zubat to follow. Eventually, it brought us to a docking area. We froze at the sight that beheld us. There were several people, an entire crowd gathered on the dock. But even so, through all of it I could see someone giving chest compressions to someone laying on the wood floor. Zubat had already flown ahead of us, and frantically screeched at the person who was hard at work. A child pointed out Zubat, “Momma look! It’s back!”  
  
Suddenly, the mysterious unconscious party made coughing and hacking noises. They sat up slowly, and everyone stepped back to give them air. As they did, I could finally see for sure who it was. My eyes widened as tears came to them. It was Gladion. He was soaking wet, and his bag was tossed to the side. All his pokéballs and materials were spilling out of it, including a bottle of the tea I had made him not too long ago. He was coughing up water, and sucking in heavy, deep breaths of air. I could see tears prick at his eyes from the pain.  
  
The woman who had resuscitated him helped him to his feet. I could hear his voice from where I was. He was panicked, he sounded broken. “Wh...where am I? Where are my pokémon?!” he yelped. The woman pointed out his bag, “You’re in Konikoni City. Young man, are you alright? We found you on some debris from the boat in the water.” Zubat flew down and began screeching and crying worriedly at Gladion. He looked like he might burst into tears at any moment. He muttered something to Zubat, petting it gently. Something I didn’t quite hear.  
  
He leaned down to his bag, shuffling all the materials back inside. Once he wrapped it around his shoulder again, he took out Zubat’s pokéball. At first, it screeched loudly in objection. But Gladion muttered something else to it. Something that seemed to calm it’s nerves to his satisfaction. Then, he was finally able to call his Zubat back into it’s ball. He turned to the woman, still barely able to move. “Th...thank you, miss. Sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused. I didn't mean to crash the boat,” he whimpered. He began looking around. And finally our eyes met.  
  
"H-Hau?!"  
  
I could've yelled at him. I could've hit him, slapped him, screamed and cried, I could've done any of these things. I bet nobody would blame me, either. But...I just couldn't. I was just glad that he was alive. He was alive and ok and...and that sick,  _twisted_ witch couldn't hurt him here. He had already been through enough anyways. He was stood up now, but he seemed hesitant and...almost...too  _ashamed_ to approach us. I couldn't let him be alone, not for another  _second_. I rushed forward and hugged him, careful not to hurt him.  
  
"Hanini! You're alright!"  
  
For a moment, I felt him start shaking. It looked like he was going to hug me back, but he didn't. He just put his arms back down. Maybe he still thought I might be mad? Maybe I was a little. Still, he had to know I didn't hate him for this. "I was worried sick! Don't do that again!" I shouted. It took him a moment, before he finally responded to me. His voice was hoarse and timid, but I assumed this was because he had just been resuscitated. "Y...Yeah..." he muttered, sounding ashamed.  
  
I didn't want to let go of him, but I knew he wasn't going to return it anytime soon. With great hesitance, I finally let go and met his eyes. Even now, I was absolutely mesmerized by them. I'd been trying hard to focus myself, and keep myself in check when it came to him. He'd probably never see me that way, if things kept up like this. But that's ok with me. Even if we're only just friends...at least I have him here with me. He grabbed his wrist anxiously, and began rubbing at it. He tore his gaze away from me, and I was left feeling a little empty at this.  
  
"I...I wasn't thinking," he admitted. My eyes went wide at this. He certainly wasn't, no. In fact, I don't even know what thought process drove him to do this at all. I mean, I assumed he panicked because I didn't tell him anything. Stupid stupid stupid! I should've just stayed home with him! He was probably horrified! But...how did he sneak out of the Hotel? The Aether lackeys seemed to be gone, but...when did they leave? And...why did he come here? Why was he on that boat?  
  
These thoughts began to fade away as I realized something. As much as I was scared, confused, and worried...now wasn't really the time to interrogate. Sure, it would come later. There was no doubt about that. But right now...I could see it in his eyes. Just like the night he first confided in me about his mother...he was  _broken_. I needed to be his friend right now, like I promised. And that meant I had to cheer him up. Sometimes, my lax attitude seemed like an inappropriate way to deal with things. But, for him, somehow it worked out just fine.  
  
"I could tell. Quit giving me a heart attack like this, would ya? I'm losing years of my life here!"  
  
His eyes widened as he looked at me with panicked eyes. I knew that look right away. He was worried about  _me_ , too. "Wh-what?!" he stuttered. I couldn't help but chuckle at how cute it was. He was such a dork sometimes. "Just an old's wives tale, don't worry. I'm not serious," I reassured him. He pouted, giving me a hard scowl. Of course, I could tell this was just a front to his appreciation by now. "Don't say such things!" he scolded, his face flushed with embarrassment at being fooled.  
  
I smirked, "Consider it revenge for scaring  _me_." His face went blank at this for a moment. At first I wasn't sure if that was the right thing to say. He let out a sigh, before flashing me a smile that made my heart skip a beat. "Fair enough," he said, his shy demeanor slowly returning. Truly, he had a way of taking my breath away. I wondered if he'd kill me with his cuteness before I ever got the chance to actually tell him how I felt. Probably so. It was going to take even longer now, but that's not important right now.  
  
What's important...is that he's  _safe_.  
  
Moon had waited long enough to give us a moment. As soon as she approached, we both knew what he was in for. Or at least...we  _thought_ we knew. She had a nasty scowl on her face. She crossed her arms, raising an expectant brow at him. "Well?" she asked. He sighed. Before he could even answer her however, a irritated looking man approached us. He was held back by the woman who had resuscitated Gladion. Instinctively, I grabbed his hands protectively. I didn't want to be too physical, but I did want him to know I would step in if anything went wrong.  
  
He needed to know that now more than ever. I could feel him squeeze my hands tightly. I knew immediately that he was too frightened to give me a chance to let go. The woman began quietly trying to talk him down. It seemed they were married. But I wasn't quite sure. "Please, I know you're upset," she begged. Moon approached them curiously, also having heard what Gladion had already told her. "Um, excuse me miss? Sorry I'm his... _sister_. Is there a problem here?" she lied. The woman gave a sheepish look, pressing her fingers against each other nervously.  
  
"W-Well-"  
  
"That boat your brother crashed is gonna cost him."  
  
I couldn't see Moon's face anymore, but I saw her put her hand on her face and heard her sigh. She took a checkbook out of her purse and wrote something down, ripping off the check and handing it to the man who was trying his best not to fume. "This should cover it, and might I ask you kindly to just forgive him? It's my fault. I was supposed to be making sure he was in his room," she said. They seemed to buy it and nodded, and the crowd began to scatter. Moon turned around to look at us again, and she once again crossed her arms.  
  
"You know you're stupid, right?"  
  
He nodded, "Mmhm."  
  
"And reckless."  
  
"Mmhm..."  
  
"And you owe me  _big_  time."  
  
"Mmhm..."  
  
"And you owe  _Hau_ big time."  
  
"...M...Mmhm..."  
  
"Good. That being said... _I_  owe  _you_ an apology. It's... _my_  fault that we were gone so long."  
  
I saw his eyes light up at this. I was still unsure what he could've been thinking. Then, he looked at me again. I wasn't sure if it was because he couldn't look her in the eye or if he needed to look at me to remain calm enough to answer her. Either way, he did eventually answer. "It's...I forgive you," he muttered. Moon looked to me next, "I'll...let you take care of the rest. I'll meet you boys later." I nodded to her. She turned away, heading back into the city and out of sight. As soon as we were sure she was gone, I returned my attention to him.  
  
It seemed he couldn't even meet  _my_ eyes anymore. Between the 2 of us...I didn't know who had more of a right to be upset. I squeezed back finally, and it gained his attention in an instant. "Do you wanna just...relax for today?" I asked. The least I wanted to do was give him time before I started bombarding him with questions. Maybe if I just had some time to process all this, I could get more out of him. I didn't want to scare him. He had had enough of that. His eyes sparkled with a look that I always yearned to see from him. As if I were some rare commodity.  
  
"C..." he muttered, his eyes glazing over, "Can...can we just...go get malasadas? M-Maybe...we could look around."  
  
I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. I nodded, "Sure." My eyes widened as I realized he was still soaking wet. I turned to my Torracat. "Oh, uh, could you maybe dry him off for me, buddy?" I asked. Torracat nodded, breathing out a strong gust of hot air onto him. It was strong enough to blow onto my as well, and we both closed our eyes as we flinched. Eventually, it stopped and he was dry as a bone. He smiled at me again, but it was still shy. I smiled back, leading him back into the city by his hand. We still had a lot we needed to discuss.  
  
But for now...we both needed a long break.

* * *

  
It was dusk again. There was nothing left for us to do in the city. Nothing left to explore, eat, or bask in. The only thing left to do was go back home. And the only thing waiting for us in that empty room was an awkward talk. A long, awkward talk. He was still stuck to me like glue. His hand was wrapped around mine all the way up to our door. It seemed like a bitter homecoming with all that had happened. I knew we probably couldn't stay in this room for much longer. Hopefully the next time we departed, we'd be able to make time to check into some other motel.  
  
We both entered hesitantly. I heard him gulp to himself. For the first time since we had reunited, he let go of my hand. Putting his satchel on his bed, he called out all his pokémon. I followed suit, knowing everyone was probably worried sick. As soon as I did, my pokémon had pounced towards Null to catch it up and check on it's condition. Or so I assumed. Gladion's younger pokémon were busy coddling him on the bed in a tearful panic. Our bat pokémon cuddled close, both screeching to each other quietly worriedly.  
  
"H-Hey, it's ok. I'm fine. Everyone's fine. E-Everyone's..." he started to sob as he tried to calm down the frantic pokémon. He pulled them close into one big hug. "I-I'm so sorry...! I'm the worst trainer ever...!" he sputtered. My heart broke at the sight. Still, I wanted to let him reconcile with them on his own. Sitting down on my own bed, I pet my Pikachu as it hopped back onto the bed with me. It's ears twitched, and it stared at me with a sad and worried look. Eventually I heard Gladion's sobbing come to a stop and I turned my head up to look a him.  
  
He was hugging one of pillows now, his legs crossed. His eyes were still glazed, but he wasn't crying anymore. His pokémon were all bundled around him now. They had also stopped crying in terror. Even my own pokémon had become much more quiet. Null seemed to be trying to keep them all calm as best it could. It was grunting softly at them. My Pikachu hopped over to the end table where the bats were perched. I didn't stop it, either. I kept my eyes on Gladion. It seemed like he was struggling to get something out.  
  
He sighed, turning his head up to look at me, "So...let's talk."  
  
There it is. Those words that neither of us wanted to say. A part of me wanted to kick myself for making him say it first. I nodded, "Yeah..." Despite accepting the offer, neither of us said anything for a long and painful minute. I turned my eyes downward after the first 10 seconds. Looking him in the eye was too unbearable in the silence. I blinked. Letting out a sigh, I decided I had to be the first to ask since I was too cowardly to bring it up. "Let's just...rip the band aid off now," I said, turning my head to look at him again.   
  
"...Why did you leave?"  
  
His eyes narrowed at me. I resisted the urge to swallow out of anxiety. Slowly, his head lifted slightly. "When...you didn't come back..." he began. I flinched at this. I knew it! It was all my fault! It was because I left him alone for too long! He was probably worried sick about me just like I was worried sick about  _him_. I'm such a selfish jerk. What right did I have to yell at him like that? About that of all things? "W-Well...actually..." he muttered, turning his eyes away from mine and breaking our gaze again.  
  
"The lackeys that were crawling around this place left just a couple hours after you left the building. B-But I kept on waiting anyways. When you didn't come back at dinner time, I knew something wasn't right. So I left and I was careful about my search for you, and eventually I got to the Hano Resort. And someone told me...they had seen you with Faba going to the Ferry Station. A-And...I panicked. I thought they had kidnapped you!"  
  
As he explained, his face became progressively more panicked and nervous. His eyes were blown wide. I could tell he still felt fearful about what could've happened to me while I was gone. I frantically waved my hands back and forth, "Wh-what?! No! I...w-we went  _willingly_." I paused before I added to this, "S...Sort of." He was completely shocked by my answer. He leaned in slightly and yelped, "You  _did_?!" I nodded. He sat back again, and he still seemed confused. I knew for sure now, he knew something we didn't. For that to be the first place he thought of...  
  
"When I caught up with Moon at Hano Resort, he was offering us a freetour of Aether Paradise. I  _wanted_ to come back here, but...Moon said you'd be fine here by yourself so long as you didn't leave. A-And I  _swear_ I thought we could make it back here before it got too dark! But...i-it didn't end up that way, obviously."  
  
He looked down again. He seemed to understand what I was saying. That was good. "I...see..." he muttered. I thought about what he told me for a long moment. One thing still didn't make sense. So he assumed I had been kidnapped...was that why he was on that boat? Was it trying to get back to Melemele somehow? No, he knew about the Mantine service. So what was it? Hesitantly, I met his eyes again. Only  _he_ knew the answer. Taking a deep breath, I asked the boiling question that both of us knew was coming.  
  
"...So, why the boat, then?"  
  
He still wouldn't meet my eyes. His look of shame and guilt returned to him. He sighed loud and heavily. I wondered if maybe there was a chance he  _couldn't_ answer me. Perhaps it was too soon to prod into all this. Then, he muttered the truth with great reluctance. "I...I was going to try and see if I could make it out of Alola on the boat..." he admitted. I couldn't suppress my shock. So...he really  _did_ try to run away. I'm so stupid. He was alone and scared and he felt like the walls were closing in. In the end, I'm nothing but a fool.  
  
"...At  _first_."  
  
It was a quiet whisper, almost impossible to hear. But I caught it with ease. Those 2 words that changed everything so drastically. I stared at him. I was confused. How could I not be? What else could he possibly intend to do with that boat? Or maybe he meant he tried to turn back. I raised a brow at him, " _At first_? So you changed your mind?" He shook his head, "Not exactly..." I saw his grip on his pillow get tighter. He was filled with shame and guilt. I could tell just by looking at him. I wanted badly to tell him it wasn't on him. That it was on  _me_.  
  
"I...as soon as I couldn't see the beach anymore, I started feeling guilty. I felt sick to my stomach. And then, I asked myself...'What am I doing?' You've done a lot for me, you even called me your friend. I already abandoned my sister, but then I was just doing it to you too. So instead...I was going to go to the Aether Foundation to rescue you."  
  
My heart nearly stopped. It was the only possibility that hadn't even occurred to me even  _remotely_. How would I even  _begin_ to theorize something like that? Despite how horrified I was at this, I also felt strangely touched. He was thinking of me. He was thinking of me and all because I was stupid enough to leave the island. "You were?! Wh-what happened?! How did you crash like that?!" I shouted. He blushed in embarrassment, "I hit waters that boat wasn't made to traverse, you could say...and I ended up washing up right back where I started. Go figure..."  
  
"Gladion..." I muttered. I couldn't help but give him a look of pity. I seriously owed him an apology. He was really willing to come save me. What's worse...is if weren't for that woman, he might've been dead. I couldn't imagine such a horrifying thing. It was the same as the first time he ran away. Just like back then, I was still an idiot. I couldn't be thankful enough to Arceus that he didn't drown. I gave him a sad look, "I'm so glad...you're alright. I'm sorry I made you worry so much. It's all  _my_ fault...I should've just stayed here or told you or-"  
  
"Hau, I...I'm not mad at you."  
  
"You're... _not_?"  
  
"Of course not! I...I don't  _blame_  you. I'm just glad nothing bad happened to you."  
  
"But you almost  _died_! If I had just-"  
  
"Hau, that was  _my_ choice, not yours. I-I should've just listened to you. I should've just stayed in the room like you said! You trusted me to do that at the very least...and I betrayed that. Even if I changed my mind...I tried to  _abandon_  you! You're the only one who deserves to mad."  
  
I was at a loss for words. He felt responsible for everything. Even if he didn't think him changing his mind meant much...it meant everything to  _me_. To know that he had come so far, that he was thinking about me, that he was  _that_ worried about me. It certainly didn't help my attraction to him. At this point, it took everything in my body not to run across the room and hug him. It was still so hard to believe. My face got a bit warmer as I blushed, "You were... _really_ going to come for me?"   
  
He tried to hide it by burying his face in his pillow, but I could see his face flush. I couldn't be sure if it was from embarrassment or...something else. I was left to assume the former. It was pretty unlikely it was  _that_...right? He nodded in response. "Mmhm...~" he hummed through the soft cushion. I smiled at him, "I guess, in a way I'm also  _glad_  you didn't make it that far. But...thank you, for thinking about me." He didn't say anything in response. I wasn't sure how he took it. But regardless, I didn't regret telling him.   
  
Eventually, he lifted his head up. His face wasn't flushed anymore, but he still looked troubled. Then the obvious question revealed itself as he finally said something. "So...you...went to the Aether Foundation...with Moon," he said. It was a statement more than it was a question. But the uncertainty in his voice told me he was wondering if there was still a doubt about it. I didn't say anything. I only nodded. His face darkened and I could see the fear in his eyes. I could practically see the gears turning in his head. His next words would lay everything else out.  
  
"Did...did you see  _her_...?"  
  
I didn't even have to ask who he was talking about. I knew. Again, I nodded. I look down, clenching the bed sheets with one of my hands. The mere mention of her had my blood boiling all over again. "I  _met_ her, actually..." I clarified. He didn't respond to this answer. I knew he was waiting for me to elaborate. So I did. "When Moon and I first arrived...our tour started with a woman who called herself Wicke. She was the only Aether Foundation member that seemed even  _remotely_ kind or sympathetic," I explained.  
  
"There was an incident at the Conservation Area. This weird crack like...a hole in space and time just appeared and this weird jellyfish-looking creature came out of nowhere. We tried to get the president away from it but she wouldn't budge, and she kept saying these  _weird_ things."  
  
The last statement caught his attention instantly. He lifted his head a little more and leaned towards me a bit. There was some strange longing in his tone when he asked me, "Like...what?" I hesitated to tell him. If Lusamine was who I was sure she was...this would hurt him more than anything. But I still owed him an explanation. I decided to start with the less direct ones. "She kept calling it precious and...pitying it. And she mumbled a lot the whole time," I said. Suddenly, I realized I forgot to clarify an important detail.  
  
"Ah...! B-But Moon defeated that... _thing_...so everything is ok now. Nobody got hurt, thankfully," I yelped. He kept staring at me for a long time. He seemed to be relieved at the very least. But there was still something... _burning_ in his eyes. He asked the one question I hoped he wouldn't. "What else did she say?" His voice cracked. He was trying his hardest to keep himself together. My heart sunk again. I wanted to hear him say it first, I don't think I'd ever believe it otherwise. But I could still tell his hurt was real. It meant something more.  
  
"Well...Lusamine also said some things that didn't sit right with me. I tried my best not to look disturbed by anything she said..." I muttered, bitterly. I wasn't able to hide my disdain. If he leaned in any further, he might've been at risk of falling off his bed. He called my name, "Hau...?" He was reaching out to me so desperately. I couldn't lead him off a leash anymore. I was just making things worse. The longer I dragged this out, it was just more painful and more stressful for him. I had to be honest.  
  
"Sh-she said...that kids would be happier if they just listened to adults. And that any child that was spoiled  _had_ no family. Because nobody would love them," I admitted. His face tensed even more. I could see him flinch. As if some distant hope was crushed and ground to dust. The look of pure defeat, of hopelessness on his face...it was  _unbearable_. There as little doubt about it at this point. There was no other reason for him to care so much about what she had said to me. The way he reacted to these words...but yet I was still foolishly denying it.  
  
"Gladion?" I called. He hesitated to look me in the eye. In a way, I think he knew what I was about to say. It would hurt us both for me to say it. But it had to be said. I had to know. "It won't change anything. It's  _still_ as I said...the past  _doesn't_ matter. But to help you find your future, I still need to know," I said. I didn't take his eyes off of him for a single second. At this point, all our pokémon had stopped their chittering completely. If either of us had stopped speaking, it was absolutely silent in the room. I took a deep breath.  
  
"Is the President and your mother...one in the same?"  
  
He was still silent. His grip on his pillow became even tighter, as he buried his face in it again. I couldn't see his eyes anymore. Then, after a full minute, he began shaking. I could easily hear his sobbing even through the cushion's muffle. That was the last straw for me. I couldn't sit back anymore. I jumped off my bed and approached him. I rested one of my hands gently on his to let him know I was there. "H-Hey! I-I'm sorry, I just...!" I stammered. I didn't know what I should say. If I should apologize, or comfort, or just leave him be.  
  
"Gladion, you  _know_  I'm just worried about you," I told him. I had to make that clear above all else. I didn't want him to think I was pressuring him. That wasn't fair. He pulled his face out of his pillow and began wiping his own tears away. "N-No that's..." he stuttered. He was choking on his sobs still. I gave him a moment to compose himself. "I just...I was just hoping that maybe she had  _changed_. Maybe...maybe after all this time she had to think she  _finally_ might have felt a little remorse! But it was just a  _lie_...!" he sobbed.  
  
He met my eyes again. Despite trying his best to dry his face, his tears just kept coming. "Whatever it is you wanna know...I'll tell you  _everything_ ," he sniffled. The offer made my eyes widen again. I had never expected him to ever say those words. I shook my head to snap myself out of it. He sniffled again, "I don't have any hope left that she'll change, now..." I don't think I'd ever stop pitying him. He truly didn't deserve any of this. I tried to ask him something, but my mouth betrayed the screams in my brain, "Gladion...I-I'm so sorry."  
  
"You...were  _right_. She's my mother. Lillie and I are her children...her  _only_ children. And we  _both_ left because she gave us no other choice but to run away!"  
  
"Why is she doing all this? What's her gain here? Why would she sacrifice you two for...well...whatever it is she wants?!"  
  
"She wants to open up a door to a dimension called Ultra Space. In it, there are horrifying beasts with power that surpasses even the island guardian deities themselves. The first one she ever saw was classified under the name UB-01. That's the one  _you_ guys saw at the foundation. She started to become so obsessed with it...that she even made Lillie dress up to look like that disgusting thing."  
  
"So...these things...they're like pokémon, but way stronger? So what does she need your  _Null_  for?"  
  
"Null was  _made_ to fight them... _kill_ them. It was in one of it's first naming classifications. "Ultra Beast Killer", "UBK", a creature designed to fight and kill Ultra Beasts, in order to capture them during the first Ultra Space Expedition. Only 3 were ever developed, but something went wrong. The Foundation created an RKS system to use in order to help the Beast Killers complete their mission."  
  
It was all making complete sense now. The mask, the fact that nobody, not even the professor had seen it before. His escape, his crash on the beach. The answer was just right under my nose the whole time. He didn't sneak  _into_ the foundation...he  _lived_ there. That was probably how it was so easy for him to get his hands on them. And that accident...the one that killed his father. Could it be that was their research of Ultra Space? Had an Ultra Beast attacked him? But then...why did his mother even care about these things? He continued, much to my surprise.  
  
"But they reacted negatively to it's effects, and became so berserk and out of control they had specially designed masks put on them to keep them at bay. To stop them from killing humans...and themselves. If a Null were to have it's mask taken off before it was strong enough to handle it's own power...it would die from shock. Even faster, if it tried to  _use_ this power before it was ready."  
  
"Oh my Arceus..."  
  
"The day I escaped, I...I was planning to take all three of them with me. But two of them stayed behind to stall for more time for my escape. And one of them...o-one of them..."  
  
He pulled hands away, burying his face in them. His sobbing had deteriorated into full blown crying now. I could tell he was struggling to get any of it out. Before I could stop him, he kept going. "One of them...asked me to take off it's mask...so it could get through a horde of those employees," he finished. I already knew the gist of this, but that didn't make it any less shocking or horrible. He sniffled, taking his hands off his face to wipe away his own tears again.  
  
"I didn't want to do it...I knew what would happen. But I...i-it...it wouldn't take no for an answer. It was already willing to sacrifice itself. They all were. Even now, my own Null...he would take the fall if it meant I would be spared Lusamine's wrath."  
  
I had heard more than enough. I had everything I needed now. And finally, everything I had been trying to put together came to a conclusion. All of this was nothing more than an abuse of power. Nothing about our plan was going to change. I would just have to work twice as hard to protect him. After all, I couldn't imagine how nervous he was. The fact that he decided to come to save me meant that he knew better than anyone the lows she would stoop to. I wrapped my arms around him. I could hear him gasp into my chest.   
  
"S-Stop...that's  _enough_."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Gladion...it's ok to feel the way you're feeling. I understand now. You don't have to torture yourself anymore. I've broke some promises, but I  _will_ protect you. That woman will never touch you again. I won't let her."  
  
He didn't say anything for a long time. Only breathing raggedly and unevenly from all his crying. I noticed him lift an arm up again. He winced. He was still hesitating to reach out to me. Though I knew I couldn't force it along. I'd let him do this all at his own pace from now on. Not mine. He put his arm down again, wrapping it around his pillow again. "H-Hau..." he choked. I could tell he was still trying hard not to cry. I just tightened my grip to comfort him.  
  
"Shhhh..."  
  
He sobbed again, "I...I  _hate_ her...!" I didn't say anything. He had gone so long without talking to anyone like this, if he had ever talked to anyone like this. I could only imagine the things he had kept pent up inside him for my benefit. "I never wanna be like her, not  _ever_...! I  _hate_ Lusamine...I  _hate_ Ultra Space...I  _hate_ Ultra Beasts...! I just want things to be  _normal_ again like when father was still here...!" he sobbed. I gently ran my hands through his hair, rubbing his back to soothe him.  
  
I wouldn't interrupt him this time. He needed this. And after what I had just put him through...I owed it to him. After all, I didn't know what  _else_ I could do. He nuzzled into me, still sniffling. "Why...? Why won't she stop  _torturing_ me...?!" I winced. Even now, that was true, wasn't it? This intimidating game she played with him...it was a never-ending cycle of fear and anxiety. His next words made my heart sink again.  
  
"Th-thank you, Hau...f-for helping m-me. I...I'm sorry I...I've been so  _difficult_...! I'm just scared that if I keep dragging you into this...you'll get hurt," he admitted. I nuzzled the top his head. I didn't stop rubbing his back, I wouldn't until he had stopped shaking. Maybe not even then. I don't know. "Shhh, you don't have to be afraid. E aho, hoa," I whispered into his ear. He sniffled again, "Wh...what's  _that_  mean?" I blushed, realizing my slip up. "O-Oh, s-sorry...i-it means 'Friend'."  
  
"Friend..." he repeated. He seemed to have calmed down now. That was good. Suddenly, I remembered the crystal that Wicke had given me. Hesitantly, I pulled myself off of him and grabbed one of his hands. "R-Right, I just remembered...Wicke wanted me to give you something," I told him. His eyes widened with panic, "Sh-she knows where I am?!" I brought my free hand up to his face to calm him, "I-It's alright! She...wanted me to tell you that she's sorry. And...she said she wasn't gonna tell anyone."  
  
I put the crystal in his hand. He stared at it with a strange look of confusion. So he didn't know what it was after all. That only brought up more questions. Questions I wasn't going to  _dare_ ask him at this point. He just put it into his hoodie pocket. His eyes darkened a bit. "I don't see how it's supposed to make up for her incompetence..." he muttered, bitterly. For a moment, I stood by awkwardly. After a couple of minutes, I decided that there was nothing more to discuss. I turned myself around to head for my bed.  
  
But I was stopped dead in my tracks when he grabbed my wrist. His panicked voice entered my ears again. "W-Wait!" he cried. I turned my head to look at him. Was there still something else he needed to tell me? Maybe he still wanted comfort from me. He hesitated, it was starting to become a bad habit. "I-I just...c...could you sleep in my bed? With me? I-I know it sounds  _weird_ but, I...I guess I'd just feel better if I knew you were here with me," he stammered.  
  
My heart skipped a beat as my face flushed. It did sound like a silly request in hindsight. After all, I was definitely going to be right there. But I also understood what he meant. I'd feel the same way if I were in his shoes. Still, I knew I had to be able to control myself if I were to go through with this. I turned myself around completely to face him. I nodded, "N-No, it's not weird. I understand. I-It's the least I could do. If this is what will help you feel safer...I'll do it."  
  
Slowly, he let go of my hand. I rubbed my arm nervously. At first, I wasn't sure whether or not it'd be ok to bother him again. Then, I noticed him shift on the bed, prompting his pokémon to do the same. He didn't look at me, but it was clear that he was asking me to sit with him. I smiled warmly. I didn't waste any time climbing onto the bed beside him. My face lit up brightly when his hand bumped against mine. At this point, holding hands was barely a big deal between us. But it still made my heart flutter.  
  
I gripped his hand and smiled at him. Sometimes, even I couldn't help but act shy and giddy. Perhaps that was just one of the curses of being in love. Aside from the constant worry and self-consciousness, that is. He leaned his head into my shoulder. I was completely and utterly flustered. I felt practically helpless whenever he touched me. "I'm just glad that you're here..." he whispered. He sounded like he was already halfway asleep.  _How cute_ I thought. I smiled and nodded at him.  
  
"...Me too."


	34. Chapter 33 - Colder Than This Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion has a strange dream as he reflects on how his life spiraled out of control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another special chapter, taking a break from the story for a moment. This is a flashback chapter basically, think it's about time I wrapped up all the loose ends. Buckle up folks, this gon' be a long one.

_It was cold...cold and...dark. I was sure I was in yet another nightmare. All I was waiting for was her grating voice. All I was waiting for the pain in my hand. But these things didn't come. All I was doing was wondering alone in the void. Was this another new nightmare? But if that was so, shouldn't I see or hear something by now? It was just a barren and black desert of silence. I don't get it...there's nothing here. There's nobody..._  
  
**_Nobody_** _...here..._  
  
_I stopped dead in my tracks. I realized it now._ ** _He_** _wasn't here. I began looking around frantically. I couldn't help but panic. Where is he?! Why isn't he here?! He said he'd protect me...why is he gone?! Did I do something wrong? Please, Arceus, forgive me, whatever it is I did! Just come back..._ ** _please_  ** _come back. I couldn't stop myself from crying as I ran my hands through my hair. I fell to my knees. All I could do was sob pathetically. I heard footsteps approach me suddenly, and I looked up. I froze._  
  
_"...D...Dad...?"_  
  
_"Keikikane, what's the matter?"_  
  
_I rose to my feet immediately. I hugged him as tight as I could. I knew there was a real chance if I let go, he'd fade away. I wasn't ready to say goodbye again. He wrapped his arms around me after a few seconds. I knew this wasn't real. But I didn't care. I also knew this was a hell of a lot better than the normal routine. I couldn't remember the last time I had a dream like this. His face was still blurry. It was torture. Still...just knowing he was here was enough._  
  
_"Dad...I feel so lost. I...I-I don't know what to do."_  
  
_"Slow down...e aho, keikikane. Now...tell me what's on your mind."_  
  
_"Heh...what_ ** _isn't_  ** _on my mind? I feel so trapped. Mom is...she's acting so crazy and awful and I don't know how to get through to her. I was supposed to protect Lillie and instead now she's run into the arms of criminals! And...and I don't know what to do...about_ ** _him_** _..."_  
  
_"'Him'?"_  
  
_"...It's...this boy I've been travelling with. He's so kind, and happy, and...everything I'm_ ** _not_** _. And yet he's still stuck with me despite all the trouble I've been causing."_  
  
_It was almost impossible to push him away lately. I wanted to reach out to him, but at the same time I couldn't possibly. Especially not after how close he came to Lusamine. Not after the way I betrayed his trust. Even though he may have forgiven me...I couldn't help but feel like a total fool. Maybe that was why I couldn't find him anywhere. Why he was gone. But then...why was my father here? This still made no sense. But I didn't try to hard to make sense of it, either. It was a dream, after all._  
  
_"He sounds like a nice kid," he said. I nodded, wiping away my own tears and sniffling pathetically. I didn't like letting my guard down like this normally. But it didn't really matter here. "Dad...I'm really confused. I feel so strange around him and...I don't understand it. What does it mean?" I begged. His face was still blurry. It was frustrating. He hummed in thought before he finally answered my question with another question, "Strange how, kiddo?"_  
  
_"W-Well...I almost can't go without his attention. At first I thought it was because...it had been so long since anyone treated me that way. But lately...it's getting worse. I keep blushing and gawking at him. And every time he holds my hand or touches me...I don't want him to stop. But I'm so scared of him getting hurt because of me...I-I can't tell him and I can't bring myself to pull him closer myself. I care about him...if anything ever happened to him, I...I don't know how I'd live with myself."_  
  
_It was all true what I told him. I felt so lost and strange. Perhaps it was a little_ ** _too_** _convenient that I found him here. Coincidence or no, I needed to hear him tell me_ ** _something_** _. I didn't know who else to turn to. He shook his head, "Well, I can't really tell you how_ ** _you_** _feel. You have to figure that out for yourself. But I_ ** _can_** _t_ _ell you to just do what you think is best." I pouted at this. "But every time I try to do that, it goes completely wrong!" I yelped._  
  
_"That's because you're trying to do it by yourself."_  
  
_"I...I don't understand..."_  
  
_"Kiddo, you gotta learn to work with others."_  
  
_"It's...it's so hard...I'm so terrified of what mother might do. I_ ** _know_** _she'd punish_ ** _anyone_  ** _that she knew was helping me!"_  
  
_He went silent at this. I became scared again as he let go of me. I was about to say something, when he pat my head. It felt...just like it did the last time I remembered seeing him. I had all but forgotten when everything had went wrong. All sorts of thoughts were swirling in my head at this point. I was trying hard just to remember...why did it all go so wrong? When did things get so complicated? I had almost forgotten that this wasn't really him. When I looked up again, he was gone._  
  
_I began to panic, and as I looked around I noticed it was no longer an endless blackness. Instead it looked like Melemele Meadow. There was nothing but yellow flowers for miles. I fell to my knees again. Despite the fact that he was gone, somehow, I still heard him. My eyes grew wide at his next words. And once the simple question entered my head...it all suddenly began rushing back to me. Back to the day where it all went wrong, when our family had changed for good._  
  
_"Beauty is so **fickle**...isn't it?"_

 

* * *

  
It was an all-around normal day for the children. The only oddity of the day had been their butler serving breakfast rather than their mother. Perhaps she had pulled another all-nighter. They knew she worked incredibly hard. Once breakfast was over, in fact, Lillie had proposed they make her a gift to express how much they appreciated her hard work. And so, they had been hard at work at a small table making crafts. They had paint, glitter, and sequins on their hands, and even some faint drips of glue.  
  
Lillie's face had a few sequins stuck to her face. Gladion however had been careful to keep all the materials out of his hair. Their pokémon were on the floor doing their own crafts as well. Lillipup was painting a paper with it's paws, and Cleffa was using a paint brush to help it's progress along. Lillie was hard at work, painting a make-shift picture frame. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Cleffa's ball on the table. Suddenly, she got an idea as she picked it up and began painting on the top of it.  
  
Gladion immediately caught her in the act. He gave her a dirty look, yelping in confusion, "Uh- H-Hey! What're you doing?!" She beamed at him, her bright smile almost blinding him. "I'm decorating Cleffy's ball~! She deserves a pretty ball after all~!" she chirped, enthusiastically. Gladion pouted at this. He was sure his sister meant well, but he had his standards. "Her ball is fine..." he muttered bitterly. Lillie frowned, her eyes twinkling with that puppy-dog look he had come to be familiar with by now.  
  
"Pleeeaaassse big brother? Just  _1_ little decoration?" she begged. He sweat with slight guilt as he flinched at the look. Despite knowing this look, it always managed to catch him off-guard. It worked deviously well on their father as well. However, their mother was much more immune to it. He envied her in that regard.  _Curse you and your persuasion tactics..._ he thought. He turned his nose up at her indignantly, "F-Fine. But  _only_ 1."  
  
She beamed again, grinning an adorable and wide grin. "Yaaay~!" she cheered. She got back to work on the pokéball. She followed his condition, only leaving one decoration only but putting as much effort into it as she could. She finished within a few short minutes. She showed off her work of art, revealing she had painted a cute pink heart on the top. "There we go~!" she cheered. Gladion raised a brow at her, "A heart?" He pouted, scrunching his face up in displeasure, "That's kinda dumb..."  
  
She pouted right back at him, her face flushing. " No it's not! It's cute! It's to remind Cleffy you'll always love her!" she insisted. The explanation made Gladion's pout turn into a sheepish frown. He glanced away from her, totally flabbergasted by this reasoning. "She already  _knows_ that, you airhead," he jabbed, rolling his eyes. She huffed a loud huff as she squealed in anger. She stood up from her chair, slamming her hands down on the table, "I'm not an airhead! You're just a  _grump_!"  
  
Before he could retort, the door slid open. In the open doorway stood a woman they were much familiar with, Professor Wicke. She was noticeably tired, and she had still-developing bags underneath her eyes. Her hair was disheveled. Everything about her frankly looked miserable. She sighed heavily. "C...Children?" she called. The kids instantly turned their heads to look at her. They immediately noticed her strangely exhausted appearance. They had rarely seen her this way.  
  
"Ms Wicke? Are you ok? You look upset..." Lillie said, her previous rage dissipating and replacing with worry. Gladion raised a curious brow at the bags under her eyes. "Did you get any sleep last night?" he asked, turning in his chair to face her. For a brief moment, her eyes slid shut. They thought for a moment she would pass out right there. However, she took a long and deep breath. She winced, her eyes still shut, "I...n-no, children. I did not." Her eyes finally opened again, but they looked heavy.  
  
"Would you mind putting down your toys for a moment? There's something..." she hesitated. She sighed again. They knew for sure now...something was wrong. Surprisingly, she managed to finish her thought, "...There's something I need to tell you." The siblings exchanged worried glances. Then, Lillie began for the doorway, her Lillipup following close behind. This prompted Gladion to get up as well, picking up his Cleffa and following close behind into the next room. They both seated themselves on a couple of futons.  
  
Wicke sat on the remaining free futon across from them. She wasn't looking at them anymore. Fidgeting with her hands, she swallowed hard. She had struggled to get her first sentence out. "...I...your mother..." she sputtered. She put one of her hands on her temple, rubbing gently to ease the headache creeping at her skull. She took another deep breath to compose herself. Finally, she met the children's eyes. They were so confused, so worried. It made what she had to do so much more difficult.  
  
"She's so devastated she can't even speak. As much as I'd rather she tell you, I understand her grief."  
  
Despite knowing she couldn't dance around the issue, it was still almost impossible to get it out properly. The stress and sleep deprivation nearly made her forget they were just young children. Both siblings completely misinterpreted this statement. Gladion frowned. He never did like his mother being upset. "Mom's mad at us? What did we do?" he asked. Lillie stood up off of her futon. She had a sad look in her eyes, almost guilty.   
  
"I-I'm sorry! I'll go apologize right now-"  
  
Wicke put her hands up, waving them around nervously. Her eyes popped wide open, realizing her mistake. "O-Oh! No no no! Apologies, that's...that's not what I..." she trailed off. She winced again. She sighed, looking down with a sad look in her eyes. "That's...not what I meant," she clarified. Despite still being suspicious, Lillie hesitantly sat back down after looking to Gladion. Now he was  _really_ starting to worry. His grip on his Cleffa loosened. "Then...what is it, Ms Wicke? What happened?" he asked.  
  
Her eyes narrowed. She just kept cringing more and more. "Y...Your father..." she began. Gladion raised a brow at her curiously. Wicke managed to look them in the eyes again. "...Children, you know that your parents both love you very much, yes?" she asked. Lillie yelped their answer almost instantly, "Of course we do!" Wicke continued hesitantly, though her words only raised more brows from the children, "And...you know that for a long time now, they've known each other. Since they were young adults."  
  
They nodded.  
  
"They've always worked together...and they both were  _very_ passionate about their research. They still are, I'm sure. And...they always had this... _dream_. To see this place...this beautiful place  _full_ of strange but magnificent creatures. They called it Ultra Space. And...last night...they came very close to finding a way to see this place."  
  
Lillie's eyes nearly popped out of her head. She grinned with excitement. Her worries had all but fallen into the back of her head. "Really?! That's so cool! What happened?" she asked, leaning in eagerly. Gladion, being older and having a more focused attention didn't let this news deter him. There was still something seriously wrong here. The way Wicke was acting, the look in her eyes, her tone, her appearance. Something wasn't right.  
  
"Ms Wicke...where's dad?"  
  
Wicke flinched. She accidentally let a whimper slip out of her mouth. This did nothing to ease Gladion's anxiety. His eyes grew wide with fear. "...Ms Wicke...? Where's dad? Is he ok?" he asked. She remained silent. "Please, tell me!" he begged. Wicke couldn't hold it in anymore. She began sobbing. Pushing her hands up behind her glasses, she buried her face in them. She didn't want them to see her like this. "Oh Arceus...children, I...I'm so horribly sorry...!" she choked.  
  
Lillie's excited attitude quickly dissipated. She blinked curiously as she frowned. "Huh? What's wrong?" Still, she didn't answer. Lillie got up off her futon again, approaching the woman worriedly. "Ms Wicke? Hey!" she called, putting a hand on her arm. Suddenly, Wicke pulled the young girl into a tight embrace. She sniffled, trying her hardest to keep herself composed. But try as she did, she just couldn't do it. Finally, the bitter and horrific news escaped her lips like a toxin.  
  
"Young Mistress Lillie...young Master Gladion... _he's gone_."  
  
Gladion's eye twitched at this. His face contorted in horror. That just  _couldn't_ be true. What was she talking about? He had just seen him a few hours ago! That was impossible! "Wh...what're you talking about...?" he whimpered. Panic set in quickly as he stood up from his futon as well, accidentally knocking his Cleffa onto the floor without noticing it. "What do you mean he's  _gone_?!" She shook her head. She knew the boy would digest the news far more quickly than the young mistress.  
  
"Last night...they managed to open a portal to Ultra Space. But...there was s-something in there...it was so strong. We couldn't contain it! A-And your mother, she almost got pulled into it! So, h-he...he pushed her out of the way. But, he ended up being caught in that  _thing's_ grip. And...and before we knew it...he was  _gone_. And the portal sealed off before we could reach him. We tried all night to get another one open, but it just... _wouldn't_..."  
  
Finally, Lillie had been able to process what Wicke was saying. She winced as tears began to stream down her face. She sobbed and sniffled, wrapping her arms around Wicke for comfort. "Daddy...daddy's gone...?!" she cried. Wicke pet her head gently to soothe her. She couldn't help but feel pity for her. "Oh, Lillie, I'm so so sorry...!" she sputtered. The boy had begun crying as well. He began shaking. He shook his head, taking a step back as he clenched his fists.  
  
"No...you're  _lying_! You  _have_ to be! I talked to dad just a few hours ago! I saw him just yesterday! He  _can't_ be gone!" he insisted. He just couldn't believe this. His Cleffa had already pulled itself back up. It stared up at him with worried eyes. It couldn't understand why it's master was so distressed. "Cleffy...? Cleff..." it cooed. Wicke couldn't blame the boy for denying it. Even she had tried to deluding herself just a few short hours ago. And Arceus only knew what Lusamine could've been thinking right now.  
  
"I'm telling you the  _truth_ , young Master. I  _swear_ it. I was there, I saw  _everything_. I know this is hard to hear and...it's going to be difficult for all of us. But I  _promise_ you, we did  _everything_ we could."  
  
The world around him completely disappeared. He fell to the floor, and finally he couldn't hold it in anymore. He began sobbing and sniffling like his sister had been. He hugged his legs, burying his face in his knees. "Cleffy...?!" the Cleffa called. It rushed over to him, tapping his leg gently to get his attention. Hesitantly, he lifted his head up to look at it. He blinked. The Cleffa held up it's hands, as if offering to embrace him for comfort. "Cleffy..." it cooed, quietly.  
  
"Kh...!" Gladion grunted. He scooped it up, hugging and holding it close. It snuggled it's face against his chest. As he continued sobbing, Lillie did the same. They both couldn't stop themselves. Wicke kept on comforting Lillie to the best of her ability. She knew it'd take a lot of time and healing. And it broke her heart to have to be the one to tell them. But she knew they had to know eventually. Running her fingers through Lillie's hair and rubbing her back gently, she began cooing into her ear gently to calm her.  
  
"Shhh...I know, child...I know..."

 

* * *

  
Lillie wandered quietly into the open door. It was a room she hadn't been in for quite a few weeks. She didn't want to be a bother, after all. She looked around the room curiously. The lights were off. She was scared of the dark, but she was too curious to let it to deter her. "Mommy...?" she called. Eventually, her eyes landed on the bed. Lusamine was sat atop it, facing her window quietly. Slowly, the little girl blinked in confusion and curiosity. She made her way around the corner of the bed, stopping in front of her and staring up at her.  
  
"Mommy...?" she called again. She was just staring forward, presumably at the world outside the window. After a minute or so, she let out a sigh. She muttered to herself, "Oh dear, unfortunate child..." She looked down at her daughter, meeting eyes with her. "I'm...I'm sorry. Did you need something, sweetie?" she asked, gently. Lille tilted her head at her, giving her a sad look. "I j-just...wanted to see if y-you were alright is all," she stammered, nervously.  
  
"Everything is fine, dear. Don't worry about me."  
  
Lillie didn't respond to this. She was usually inclined to believe adults. But for some reason, she couldn't help but doubt this statement. Lusamine put a hand on her temple. She quickly changed the subject, knowing full well she wasn't being very convincing. "How is...your brother?" she asked. Lillie's eyes lit up. Her short attention span drove her to forget her suspicion immediately. "Oh! Gladion is um...he's been in his room all day," she answered, honestly.  
  
"Is that so...?"  
  
"Is he in trouble?"  
  
"N-No...no of course not. I just...wanted to make sure he's doing alright."  
  
She reached out, patting her daughter on the head gently. Lillie did enjoy the contact. It had been a while since her mother had touched her. Though of course, she didn't blame her. "You're a good girl, Lillie," Lusamine praised. The sudden attention had Lillie curious. Neither her or her brother had bothered her since they received the awful news. Not even after the funeral had already come and gone. It had been a week since. This was the first time either of them had tried to reach out to her.  
  
"...Are you sad, too?"  
  
Lusamine's eyes widened in surprise at the question. Her slight flinch caused her to take her hand off the young girl's head. "Wh...what?" she whispered. Lillie looked down. She put her hands behind her back, digging her toes against the ground. "Everyone is sad...Ms Wicke, Gladion, and you too. Everyone misses daddy...I do too," she admitted. Lusamine couldn't help but give her child a pitiful look. She sighed. She knew she had to be honest, "Yes. I am sad. But it'll all be alright in the end..."  
  
The statement was curious. She tilted her head at Lusamine. She suddenly seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, but the child didn't notice this. "After all...he  _could_ still be out there..." she muttered. The suggestion made Lillie grin with excitement. Her eyes lit up again. "R-Really? Daddy will come home?" she asked enthusiastically. Lusamine was only half paying attention to what her daughter was saying now. The gears began turning in her head in a way they hadn't been able to for nearly a month now.  
  
"...Yes...if we opened it once before...then surely..."  
  
Lillie blinked at her, her smile fading and being replace with a blank face of confusion. "Huh?" she mumbled. Suddenly, Lusamine stood up from the bed. Lillie backed up, staring up at her toweringly tall mother with adoring eyes. She couldn't help but smile when Lusamine too, smiled. It was the first time she had seen her do so in a long while. "G...Go on and play now, Lillie. Mommy...has work to do," she ordered. Lillie nodded, "Ok!" She turned, running out of the room excitedly to get her brother.  
  
Lusamine stared at the doorway for a long while. An idea, a theory she had been too grief-stricken to consider before began swirling in her head. Yet, she knew very few people would buy into such a crazy idea. Few people...yes, there was definitely  _someone_ she could go to. Then, she turned to the end table. Picking up the phone sitting on it off it's receiver, she dialed in a number. She held it up to her ear as it began ringing and continued to ring for at least 10 seconds before someone finally picked up.  
  
"Faba? Meet me down in the basement lab. We need to talk."

 

* * *

  
Once again, Lusamine was making her way down to the basement laboratories of the facility. It's where she spent quite a lot of time lately. Though today, it wasn't for her usual business. Yet another progress report to collect. Such a droll routine. Once the elevator came to a stop, she began her long walk down the hall where the Branch Chief awaited her. As soon as she entered the room, she noted the blueprints scattered on a table the old fossil was hunched over. She rolled her eyes at him.  
  
"Whatever this is it had  _better_ be important, Faba."  
  
"Ah, I think you'll find you'll rather  _like_ this, Madam President."  
  
Lusamine raised a stern brow at him, crossing her arms impatiently. He cleared his throat, gesturing to a white board with all sorts of nonsense scribbled all over it. All of it pertaining to Ultra Space research. "You see...since we're still working on rescuing your husband, I theorize we may be ill-equipped to deal with these beasts using just regular pokémon. So...I propose we develop a weapon that we can use to detain and capture any beasts we find in there," he explained.  
  
Her fed up demeanor eased up immediately. She blinked at him, "...You have my attention." He clasped his hands together, grinning an unsightly grin that always made her eye twitch. "Thank you, Madam President," he said. Moving a few of the blueprints and various other papers around, he pulled out one with an intricate design of some mechanical-like creature. "You see, we were working on perhaps designing an Anti-Ultra Beast Fighting life-form. A  _Beast_ Killer, if you will," he explained.  
  
Her eyes scanned over the papers carefully. It certainly looked like quite the elegant creature. She glanced at him, her eyes urging him to continue. He nodded, "I propose a budget of around...3 million Pokéuros. We'll begin research as soon as possible in proper materials and design as soon as you give the A-OK." She narrowed her eyes at him, looking over a paper in her hand that detailed it's typing, originally designed ability, and proposed code name.  
  
"Hmmm...and you think this will work?"  
  
"Not a doubt in my mind, Madam President."  
  
She put the paper back down. Once again, she gave him a stern stare. She was almost certain he began sweating under her gaze. "...Do not waste my time, Faba. I want this to be of  _no_ distraction to the task at hand. Understood?" she ordered. He nodded again, "Crystal clear, Madam." She continued to stare him down, waiting for him to crack. But he didn't let up. She turned around, beginning for the door to the hall as she gave him the carrot that had been dangling since she entered the room.  
  
"You have your funds. Begin development immediately."  
  
"But of course, Madam..."

 

* * *

  
The house bustled with noise as the children played with their pokémon. Lillie was playing fetch with a squeaky ball, constantly tossing it around for the Lillipup to retrieve and give back to her to continue the cycle. Her brother however, was giving Cleffa a joyride atop his head. It held it's arms out, pretending as if it were a flying type pokémon, soaring through the air. Wicke was sat on a futon, watching them gleefully. She turned her head as she heard a door opening. She was surprised to see Lusamine.  
  
"Alright, children! Time for bed," Lusamine called.  
  
The children ceased their play, turning to look at her in confusion. They exchanged a displeased yet curious look with each other. Gladion gently picked up his Cleffa, taking it off his head as he looked at his mother. "But...it's only 7 pm," he objected. Lusamine smiled at them a strained smile, "You 2 need to start getting into healthier sleeping habits. Why if you start slacking off now, you'll never be able to get up in the morning by the time you're teenagers!"  
  
"But-" Lillie tried to object.  
  
"No buts. Bed.  _Now_."  
  
Gladion had no interest in arguing. He knew how scary it was when his mother got angry. Besides, surely she just had their best interests at heart. He passed by Lillie, still holding Cleffa to his chest. "C-C'mon Lillie, let's go," he beckoned. She gave a disappointed look, but gave in. "Ok..." she whispered, following close behind him as she clutched the back of his shirt. Her Lillipup followed eagerly, still squeaking the ball in it's mouth. Wicke rose from her seat, and noticed Lusamine heading back out to leave.  
  
"Uh, Madam President?" Wicke called, a brow raised in confusion. Lusamine stopped in her tracks. She turned to look at her comrade, looking just as bewildered as she was, "Yes, Wicke?" Wicke tilted her head at her. Perhaps she had just been so tired and flustered from work she had all but forgotten. "Aren't...you going to tuck in the children?" she asked. At first, Lusamine didn't seem to understand the question, "What?" Wicke gave her a funny look, and finally she registered it as her eyes lit up.  
  
"O-Oh right. Um...could  _you_ do it tonight, Wicke? I have to check in with Faba on BKP development."  
  
"Are you sure, Madam? I don't think-"  
  
Lusamine waved her off, smiling as she rolled her eyes ignorantly. "It's just for one night, I'm sure the children won't mind," she interrupted. Before Wicke could even try to convince her again, she turned around again. "Now if you'll excuse me..." she said, departing out of the mansion swiftly before Wicke could stop her. She could only stare at the now closed door with worried eyes. Despite her concerns, she managed to dispel them quickly. It was just one night, after all...right?

 

* * *

  
"Afraid I have some bad news, Madam President."  
  
It was statement that Lusamine was not in any mood to hear. Sat at her desk with Wicke beside her, she stared down Faba with an impatiently raised brow. He cleared his throat nervously. He knew she would not be pleased with what he was about to tell her. But it was best to rip the band aid off then to keep covering it up. "The Type:Full models didn't respond well to the initialization of the RKS system. All three of them have gone completely berserk I'm afraid," he explained.  
  
Her eyes narrowed as her expression turned worried. "Berserk, you say?" she inquired. He winced. There was no pleasant way to relay this news to her. "Yes...they attacked at least 2 employees and attempted to kill another one," he admitted. Lusamine's eyes widened in horror. Immediately, her protective senses kicked into gear. She gave him a harsh scowl. It was all she needed to get across her displeasure with his incompetence. He gulped under that horrifying glare.  
  
"Well put them in line! We can't have these things attacking  _us_! I gave you that budget to make  _Beast_ Killers, not _Human_ Killers!"  
  
"U-Understood Madam President! I presume this means  _all_ and  _any_ force and means of containment is approved?"  
  
"Yes, yes, of course. Do whatever you have to. Just keep those things under control. I don't want my children being unsafe in their own home, you hear me?"  
  
"Understood, Madam."  
  
Wicke was left shocked by how quickly she made the decision. She took a step towards her, leaning close to her so she could be heard properly. She didn't wanna leave anything up to chance. She was sure that Lusamine's exhaustion was impairing her judgement a little. "Madam President, are you  _sure_ that's a good idea?" she objected. Lusamine turned her glare up to Wicke. It made her flinch back a bit in shock. She had never seen her look at her that way before.  
  
"If we don't keep them under control they're going to hurt someone  _else_. I won't have that in my house. But just to be safe...from now on the children are  _not_ to be permitted on that elevator without supervision. Understood?"  
  
Once again, despite her concerns, Wicke was left to assume the best intentions of her boss. After all, she  _was_ their mother. Perhaps she was just over-reacting. This was probably the best choice to take. It was true, the children's safety should and would come first above all else. She took a step back, cupping her hands together over her skirt. Nodding obediently, she muttered quietly in response, "...Y...Yes Madam President."

* * *

  
_**"This is so unfair!"  
  
**_The poor girl was holding her elder brother back by his arm. She had never seen him so angry before. Sure, they had bickered and fought before...but this was much different. It frightened her. "Gladion, please! J-Just leave it alone!" she begged. Wicke was stood before them, completely speechless to the reaction. He turned his head to look at her. "No, Lillie! She can't just stop coming to dinner and bed and then tell us we're not even allowed to leave anymore! That's not fair!" he argued.  
  
Wicke held up her hands, trying to defuse the situation before it got out of hand, "C-Children, please. I know this is all very sudden...but your mother is going through a lot right now and-"  
  
He snapped at her, turning to look at her again, "We  _all_ are! She's  _not_ special!"  
  
Lillie was becoming more frantic and distressed. She was too young to understand, too innocent to bring herself to get upset with her mother. How could she? They were all going through the same thing, weren't they? They shouldn't be fighting like this! "Gladion,  _please_! Mommy's just trying to help daddy!" she tried to reason. He was unconvinced. He was not so willing to let his mother off the hook like she was, "Dad would want her to be here with us, not to lock us up like pokémon in a cage!"  
  
Wicke didn't know what else to do, she kneeled down to them and pulled them both into a tight embrace. Lillie gladly returned the gesture. Gladion, however, was frozen in confusion. His rage was still keeping him from acting rationally. "You poor, sweet children...I'm sorry that this is happening to you. I promise...as soon as things settle, I'll have a talk with her. Ok?" she whispered. Lillie nodded into Wicke's shirt, but Gladion didn't move nor did he respond verbally.  
  
She let go of them after a few minutes, looking down at them with pity. She couldn't blame the young man for the way he was feeling. He was right. It was unfair. But she was certain that Lusamine was only doing what she thought was best. No matter what, she would always be a mother. Wicke had faith in that notion. Regardless of her rapidly deteriorating presence in the children's lives, her choke hold on them was out of love and worry. It just had to be.  
  
"I wish she would see reason, but it's as I said. She's going through a lot right now. I can't imagine losing someone that close to you...someone you've known for so  _very_ long. Please, try to understand, children. She just wants what's best for you. I know that deep down in that stubborn mask of hers she just wants to return your father to you. So please...don't blame her."  
  
They both stared up at her for a long time in silence. Gladion looked down. He was still scowling, but she could tell he was considering her point of view. He sighed in defeat after a minute. "Ok..." he muttered. Lillie smiled, hugging his arm to comfort him. "It's not all bad, Gladion. Now we can eat ice cream whenever we want!" she reassured. He nodded, "I guess you're right. C'mon, Lillie. Let's go play..." he said, leading her out into the backyard garden as their pokémon followed.  
  
Wicke slowly stood up, a scowl forming on her face.

 

* * *

  
It was a special day today, the room was decorated with streamers and balloons. All noticeably in white and blue. Even the cake was decorated this way. The birthday girl was sat in a chair at the very end of the dining table. Lusamine was sat at the other end, Gladion sitting in a chair on one of the long sides of the table. She was excitedly shaking a beautifully wrapped box. Eagerly unwrapping it and popping it open, she pulled out a beautiful white dress with a collar and a cute transparent section at the bottom.  
  
"Woah! Cool! This is a  _really_ cute dress, mommy!" she praised. Lusamine giggled gleefully, pressing a hand against her cheek. "Glad you like it, darling. I had it specially made just for you~" she cooed. Gladion pouted at the design. Something about it was distasteful to him. But he couldn't quite place it. "It looks kinda weird...like an alien or something," he teased, sticking a tongue out at his younger sister. She pouted, her face flushing as her cheeks puffed up, "Mmph!"  
  
Lusamine gave him a stern glare, "Don't be so rude, Gladion." She turned her attention back on the birthday girl and smiled warmly, "Go on, try it on sweetie." Lillie nodded, hopping off the chair and darting for the bathroom as she shouted out, "Ok!" Wicke shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She looked to Lusamine, "...Madam President?" Lusamine's smile fell as she looked to Wicke curiously. "Hm? What is it Wicke?" she asked. Wicke gulped, hesitating to go through with her line of questioning.  
  
"That dress..." she trailed off. Gladion raised a brow at this. What was so interesting about some frilly dress? And the way she was talking...that look in her eye. Was there something wrong with that dress? He had been noticing these things much more often lately. The strange way almost everyone acted. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he suspected something was up with all the adults. After all, his mother had been getting progressively more distant. He was shocked she came to the house for Lillie's birthday at all, frankly.  
  
"Well, it's just that...it reminds me the tiniest bit of-"  
  
"Ta-dah!"  
  
Everyone looked up. Lillie had put on the dress and was dancing around excitedly. She beamed brightly. "How do I look~?" she chirped. Lusamine smiled again, clapping her hands together as she beamed. " _Perfect_ , darling~!" she praised. Rising from her chair, she approached Lillie and hoisted her up into the air. She began cooing playfully to her, "Who's my perfect little flower?" Lillie giggled, basking in her mother's attention like a moth to a flame, "I am~! I am~!"  
  
Gladion turned to look at Wicke. He had become a lot more clever the past year. He knew to take advantage of opportunities such as this. "Ms Wicke?" he called. Her head cocked in his direction, slightly caught off-guard by the call. "Ah...yes, young master Gladion?" she asked. "What were you going to say before?" he asked. She stared back at him quietly for a minute. Almost as if contemplating whether or not to be honest or not. Her final answer however, was not one to his satisfaction.  
  
"Oh, it's...it's nothing, young master. Just my imagination is all," she smiled.  
  
He didn't even dignify the answer with a retort, he simply turned his head to watch Lusamine playing with Lillie.

 

* * *

  
The frantic clatter of footsteps rang out throughout the hall. Yet another horrid migraine was creeping into Lusamine's head. The lack of sleep combined with the plethora of unsatisfactory results had started chewing at her common sense. Lately, she caught herself wondering why it was she was even pulling these all-nighters. All the results came back faulty, inconclusive, or outright failures. All these years of hard work were starting to get to her. But why? It had never bothered her before.  
  
There was something  _missing_ here. But she couldn't focus her thoughts enough to figure it out. All she could focus on was getting the results she needed. After all, this expedition was incredibly important. It would change the field of science and possibly even medicine forever. She was absolutely sure of it. But she just wanted things to  _work_ for just  _5_ seconds. Perhaps that is why she blew her fuse so easily today. With her panicked son trying his best to keep up, she kept on her route for her office.  
  
"Mom, I'm sorry if I made you mad! Please, just give her back!"  
  
Her grip on the pokéball tightened a bit. She pulled up close to her chest as he began jumping to grab it from her. He flinched at the hard and stern scowl she shot him. " _You_ can have this back when you've shown me that you can take proper care of it," she snapped. Despite her words, it was hard for to even remember why she confiscated it.  _How strange..._ she thought. She was probably in the right either way. After all, mother  _always_ knows best.   
  
"I can! I swear!" he insisted. She stopped as he ran around in front of her to block her path. He held his hands up, desperate to talk some sense into her. "Please mom! Cleffy gets lonely without me!" he begged. She raised a brow at him. Her mood wasn't improving with his  _constant_ pestering. Why was he being so ornery lately anyways? She would have to remember to stamp out this troublesome behavior later. "She'll get over it. You can't baby her forever, Gladion," she snapped again.  
  
He scowled. His anger slipped out of him. A mistake. "This isn't fair! I  _love_ Cleffy! I would never do  _anything_ to hurt her!" he snapped back. This new attitude was unacceptable, for sure. Perhaps finally putting her foot down would silence him. "And that's just the problem. You're too soft, Gladion," she explained. She made her way around him finally. To her slight surprise, he didn't bother to get in her way again. But he did keep following behind her. "You're not getting this back, end of discussion," she declared.  
  
"Please don't punish her just because of  _me_ , mother!" he cried, desperately. She was really starting to lose her patience now. Why couldn't he just shut his mouth and be an obedient young man? She raised him better than this! Maybe if he just gave him a nugget of good news he'd cease this tirade. "Don't be stupid. I'm not going to lock it up in a safe forever. It still requires walks and such. But  _you_ are no longer allowed to see her," she explained, returning to her stern tone on the last sentence.  
  
"But why?!"  
  
Lusamine was at her complete wits end now. She was truly and sincerely fed up with this blatant disobedience. She wondered, whatever she was trying to reason with him for? She was the adult here. He had no say in anything she did. It didn't matter how ridiculous or unfair. Life was unfair. He was just an ungrateful little brat. Did he even  _know_ the sacrifices she made for him? She snapped, scowling at him with a scary look she had only ever given incompetent employees.  
  
"Because I  _said_ so! Now stop whining and go play! You can make friends with  _plenty_ of other pokémon in the garden!"  
  
Turning her head away from him, she continued down the hall. Finally, he had stopped following her. He stared in defeat. There was no convincing her, he knew that now. Tears came to his eyes as it finally hit him. Cleffa was gone, and it was unlikely she'd ever come back. How was he supposed to know how to earn her back when he had no idea what he even did wrong? That was impossible. He sniffled and looked down dejectedly. Was this really just all  _his_ fault?  
  
"I'm sorry, Cleffy..."

 

* * *

  
The normally quiet office was stricken with commotion as the president's hands came down onto her desk. She stood up from her chair, scowling a fierce scowl. The sudden sound combined with her scary appearance made her colleagues flinch in terror. Wicke sweat nervously. She had no idea how to even  _begin_ to deal with this. Sure, Lusamine had been upset before, but not like this. Perhaps the lack of sleep was finally getting to her. Faba gulped as she screeched angrily.  
  
"What do you mean the project was a  _FAILURE_?!"  
  
He held his hands up in defense of himself, "M-Madam President, please!" She ignored his pleas. For all the bad results she had been receiving lately, this was absolutely unacceptable. "I gave you all that money and for  _what_?! You can't even complete as simple a task as following through with it?!" she snapped. At the core of it, they both understood her upset. It was true, this hiccup was all on Faba. Even Wicke had to admit this. Still, they hadn't expected such an eruption from her.  
  
"Madam, forgive me! B-But the masks we put on the models have hindered the RKS System completely!"  
  
"THEN TAKE THEM OFF!"  
  
"B-But if we do  _that_ , they'll be completely dangerous and unstable!"  
  
" _USELESS_!"  
  
She tossed a book off her desk at the pitiful old man. He managed to dodge it. However, this only made her fume more. Wicke quickly stepped in. She had to defuse this before it got ugly. Putting her hands up to block her, she approached her boss's desk frantically. "Madam President, please! You need to calm down!" she begged. Lusamine shook her head, rubbing at her temples with a single hand. She couldn't even  _begin_ to process this. She  _hated_ having her time wasted.  
  
"Put them in cryogenic stasis! They've become  _worthless_ hunks of  _junk_!"  
  
Wicke's eyes widened at this. How could Lusamine speak about living creatures this way? It had to be her rage talking. Still, it took her by complete surprise. "M-Madam! How could you say such a thing?" she gasped. Faba shook his head. He looked sheepish and pathetic. Slouching shamefully, he chimed in again, "She isn't  _completely_ incorrect...they're not good for much now. While they can fight normal pokémon just fine, they're utterly  _useless_ against Ultra Beasts."  
  
"Just put the blasted things in ice. They're nothing but an eyesore!" she demanded. Faba sighed. Despite not having too many other options, this was the last thing he wanted to hear. "As you wish, Madam President..." he muttered. Lusamine's eye twitched. Perhaps it was her spite that drove her to do what she did next. "I'm changing the project name in light of this failure. They're null...so that will be their title as such. Change the specimen's name in the record to Type:Null and take care of them," she ordered.  
  
Faba nodded, clasping his hands together as he usually did, "Right away, Madam." As he turned to leave, Lusamine slumped back down into her chair. Nobody noticed as the door opened and closed as Faba made his exit. Nobody saw the curious young boy that had been eavesdropping. Nobody realized as Faba was tailed all the way to the elevator. Nobody knew of these things, and so Lusamine and Wicke's conversation continued awkwardly as Lusamine groaned in irritation.  
  
"Idiot...not only have we wasted time that could've been spent looking for a way to retrieve the beasts, we've lost a valuable asset to capturing them!"  
  
The complaint made Wicke's heart skip a beat. She had been under so much duress, was it even possible she had forgotten? What had become of her lately? This wasn't like her at all. Sure, she had been dreaming of it since she was little. But was that truly the reason they continued this research? She thought for  _sure_ that she was just trying to find Mohn. She had to be. Still, she had completely failed to mention it. Wouldn't that have been the  _first_ thing she thought of?  
  
"Madam, is that really a priority? What about Mohn? I thought you were looking to get the children's father back!"  
  
Lusamine's eyes darkened. She gave Wicke a nasty glare. Almost as if challenging her to question her motives again. Wicke swallowed, not daring to do so. Lusamine sat up, leaning forward against her desk. The whole time, she didn't break her eye contact with Wicke. "The only reason he was sucked into that wormhole in the first place is because we were looking for beasts. He'd have  _wanted_ me to see this through... " she hissed. Her eyes still dared Wicke to object, to tell her she was wrong.  
  
She ended up the coward in the end.  
  
"...Of course, Madam President. My...apologies."

 

* * *

  
"Madam President?"  
  
Lusamine was sat at her desk yet again. She had spent most of the day filling out paperwork. It was dusk now. But she hadn't noticed of course. She didn't look up as she answered her colleague's call, "Yes, what is it Professor Wicke?" She had long since stopped casually addressing her long-time friend. It was one of the few things that made Wicke worry for her. That made her hurt to see the way she had changed over the years. She swallowed, hesitating to say what she was about to say.  
  
"...Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but perhaps you should have dinner with the children tonight."  
  
Lusamine's eyes widened. She ceased her writing on whatever paper it was she was signing. She had no idea. She slowly lifted her head. For some reason, her memory was escaping her.  _Children...?_ she thought. "What do you mean?" she asked. Wicke hesitated again, "Again, forgive me Madam President...b-but you've spent so little time with them. Do you even remember the last time you went to the mansion?" Finally, it all came rushing back to Lusamine. Her children. Her precious bundles of joy.  
  
How could she have forgotten so easily? Was she really  _that_ tired? She pressed her fingers against her temple. Wicke could see the troubled look that crossed her face. Her eyes scanned the papers on the table, and yet she wasn't truly reading them. She was searching, looking for something, anything at all. Any point that week she had been out of her office. Out of the facility. She had been there a couple times, right? She began muttering uncertainly, "I...will admit it's...a  _bit_ fuzzy. But I'm sure I-"  
  
"Please, Madam. I just think that a night to yourself to relax would be... _beneficial_. And I'm sure young Mistress Lillie would be oh-so excited to see you at dinner again."  
  
Lillie...that's right, her precious and perfect little flower. She was neglecting her quite a bit. Perhaps her older brother was becoming a rebellious little brat. But when was the last time she had checked in with her daughter? She couldn't remember. She had been far too caught up with Faba's blatant failure. She sighed, "I  _am_ rather stressed as of late. This whole Beast Killer Project was a complete waste of time and money..." Wicke smiled warmly. Was she actually getting through to Lusamine for once?  
  
"Which is  _precisely_ why you should take your mind off of it for a bit! Relax, and let us take care of the paperwork for the night. You deserve a break, after all. All this stress is bad for the complexion, you know."  
  
Lusamine's eyes widened even more at the suggestion. She sat up, running her hands along her face for anything out of place. Maybe it was just her imagination, but she could've  _sworn_ she felt 1 or 2 stress induced blemishes. "Oh my...am I getting  _that_ wrinkly already?" she yipped. Wicke's smile extended. She had always been immaculately persuasive. She just had to find the right words to get under Lusamine's skin. Lusamine shook her head, the panic setting in quickly.  
  
"Y-You're right, Wicke. I...I'm not feeling myself lately. Maybe I  _should_ -"  
  
"Oh, wonderful! I'll let the children know right away, Madam!"  
  
Beaming brightly, she clasped her hands together. Before her boss could even _conceive_ of a second thought, she darted out of the office. Lusamine had begun reaching out to her once her departure began, "Ah, wait-!" Her objections were silence by the door slamming shut. Lusamine blinked. "...And...she's gone," she muttered. She sighed again, lowering herself back into her chair again. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't at least a little hesitant. After all, her and Gladion were seeing less and less eye-to-eye lately.  
  
She just couldn't understand where this disrespectful attitude came from. She tried every trick in the book. Punishment, bribing, even being nice when he didn't deserve it. And yet nothing seemed to get through to him. Even the idea of just sitting down and having dinner with the brat seemed impossible. She shook her head. "Pull it together, Lusamine. It's just one night. Besides, she's right..." she muttered. She glanced at a small mirror positioned on her desk. She ran another hand along her face to check for wrinkles.  
  
"I can't keep stressing myself like this...it's rather  _ugly_ , isn't it?"

 

* * *

  
It had become a regular routine for Lillie by now. She hummed a cute little tune, a lullaby she distantly remembered from her much younger years. She was sat on a futon in front of her vanity, putting up her hair in a neat ponytail once again. As she grew older, it's length only got worse. And the maintenance was frankly exhausting. It always got so hopelessly tangled. She had long since stopped wearing frilly dresses and glittery bows and ribbons.  
  
Instead, she was dressed up in a white hoodie and a cute skirt with a blue stripe stretched along the bottom. She had tired of the itchy knee socks as well. Instead, she wore regular white ones under a pair of penny loafers. She was particularly excited tonight. She beamed brightly when the news that her mother was coming for dinner arrived by Wicke. It had been so long since they had talked. And she was eager to learn how her research was going. Even after all these years, she was naively hopeful.  
  
Then, her door creaked open.  
  
"Lillie sweetie, it's time for di-"  
  
Lillie turned herself around on her futon. She was pleasantly surprise to see her mother in the doorway and stood up. She was so excited, she hadn't even registered the unpleasant stare her mother had on her. Her eyes scanned her daughter carefully as she slowly stepped inside the room. "Lillie...what're you wearing?" she said. Even her cold tone escaped Lillie's naively innocent lens. Lillie blushed, only a little bit embarrassed. She had all but forgotten she never told her mother about her dress.  
  
"Oh, well my hair is always getting tangled up and in the way. So I put it up. And um...that dress you gave me was getting a little too tight to put on. So I put on some of my other clothes and-"  
  
She was cut off as her mother shoved her back down onto the futon. Gripping her shoulders firmly, she turned her around to face her vanity. Only now, looking into the reflection of the mirror did Lillie finally register the disturbing look on her mother's face. "Silly Lillie..." she muttered, grabbing a brush off the vanity. She began pulling out Lillie's ponytail and brushed out her hair. Her daughter was left utterly confused, "Wh-What're you-"  
  
"Your hair is just  _fine_. And don't worry about that dress, I'll have another one just like it made for you. Oh, and a hat, too."  
  
Once she had stopped brushing, she placed the brush back onto the vanity. She smiled at the reflection of her daughter that she observed. She wrapped her arms around her child in a hug. "Now you  _really_ look  _beautiful_ , darling. Just like your mother," she cooed. Lillie didn't respond to this. She wasn't smiling anymore. She had a sad, pitiful look on her face. It displeased Lusamine immensely. "Don't look so sad dear, you should smile more," she cooed again.  
  
She mustered a smile, though it was more nervous and sloppy this time. She was sure her mother was just stressed was all. Perhaps dinner would clear her head. "Y-Yeah...s-sure, mommy," she said. Lusamine frowned, her eyes narrowing. It had been a long time. Far  _too_ long since she last heard that form of address. She found it distasteful. " _Mother_ ," she demanded, sternly. Lillie's smile faltered a little as she began to sweat. She nervously complied, wanting nothing more than to make her mother happy.  
  
"Mother..." she muttered. Lusamine's smile returned as she beamed happily. "Good! Dinner's ready, so be down quickly, won't you?" she declared. Taking her arms off of Lillie, she turned and headed back towards the door. Just before she exited, she stopped herself and turned her head towards her daughter again. "Oh, and...change into something more... _elegant_ ," she ordered. With that, she left the room, closing the door behind her. Finally, Lillie allowed herself to frown.  
  
_I-It'll be fine. She probably knows what's best...right?_ she thought.

 

* * *

  
This was definitely the most reckless thing he had ever done. Still, he was too deep in now to call it all off. He had been careful to remember the access bypass code Faba always entered when heading down the elevator. After all the time he had attempted sneaking on without a chaperone, a lock was put on them. He often cursed the cameras that littered the place. However, as he got older, he only learned to get smarter. More careful. His past mistakes only fueled him to do better.  
  
He had already disabled the cameras. He only had an hour to find what he needed to find and get out. That should've been more than enough. It didn't take him long to reach the bottom floor. Despite the cameras being off, he knew he still had to be careful. There were plenty of people down here that could catch him. He hid behind a corner as he spotted Faba walking into view. He kept his eyes trained on him until he entered one of the many rooms in the hallway. He was clearly stressed.  
  
Gladion crouched down, carefully crawling to the door he had just entered. The open window compartments on every door made it too risky to waltz around while standing up straight. He had gotten much taller over the years. It was easier to spot him now. He stopped once he reached the room Faba had disappeared into. The door was cracked open slightly. Thankfully, he could hear the voices of Faba and what he was left to assume was an employee loud and clear. He sat himself up against the wall as he began listening in.  
  
"How is everything down here?"  
  
"No good...they're still incredibly hostile and uncooperative. We've been able to contain them in a testing chamber but we can't get them to settle down and it seems they won't get tired either."  
  
"Don't worry about it. Lusamine said use any force we see fit. And  _that_ means..."  
  
"Woah! That's...isn't that a little extreme, sir?"  
  
Gladion raised a brow at this. Hesitantly he peeked into the crack to see what the commotion was. His eyes went wide with shock at what he observed. In Faba's hands was a long tazing device of some kind. It was sparking with electricity at the fork ends. The employee in the room had his hands up and was wincing. It was clear he was pretty uncomfortable with the obvious implications. Gladion backed up away from the door again, putting a hand over his mouth. He knew  _exactly_ what something like that was for.  
  
"No. It's necessary. Now hurry up and call over some more workers and tell them to take one of these when they enter that room. We're going to  _make_ those ungrateful bastards listen."  
  
"O-Ok...you're the boss, I guess."  
  
Gladion heard the sound of static as the employee began talking seemingly to himself. He stayed still as the door swung open. Thankfully, it blocked him from the employee's view as he began walking down the other end of the hall. He could see a walkie talkie in his hand. "Hey, I'm gonna need a few more people down here. Head by Sector C, Room 4 and pick up a taser and meet up at Testing Chamber #4 down the hall. We've got permission to corral them with any force necessary," he ordered.  
  
Faba quickly followed after a minute, heading the same way the employee had. Gladion slowly stood up, still covering his mouth. He was fighting the urge to vomit in disgust. He looked up at a clock on the wall. He still had a half hour to spare. He shook his head. He had heard quite enough. He made it a point to rush back to elevator as quickly as possible. As soon as he reached the conservation floor, he was gasping and panting frantically. He was terrified, no,  _mortified_. This was  _wrong_.  
  
He quickly stepped off the elevator, grabbing the bars of the fence as he stared at the slumbering pokémon. His face contorted in horror. He knew his mother had been losing her judgement lately, but this was just abhorrent. "This is insane...! I have to talk mother out of this...!" he hissed in a low whisper. He looked up at the skylight above him. It was pitch black out now. The moon was high in the sky and the stars were spread across it. He swallowed, only now registering his mistake in his panic.  
  
"...I just hope it's not too late."

 

* * *

 

It was just another normal day in the office. Lusamine was filling out yet another seemingly endless stack of paperwork. She wondered if it would  _ever_ end sometimes. Perhaps it all came in through some kind of black hole. Still, she had to do it. It was the only way for her to pass the time these days. At least until she got results back from the lab. She had no meetings scheduled today. That's probably why she was startled when her son entered her office so suddenly on this day. He had a troubled look about him.  
  
"Mother, I need to talk to you," he announced. She lifted her head, putting down the pen in her hand. In the back of her head, she wondered if he was here to apologize for his recent behavior. Some of the things that had been acting up lately even began to stink with his fingerprints. And yet she had no definitive proof of it most of the time. She blinked at him curiously. "Yes? What is it, darling?" she asked. He took a deep breath. His expression became stern, "I...I don't think you should open up another wormhole."  
  
Immediately, her eyes narrowed. Her face darkened with displeasure. The statement on it's own had somehow justified her suspicions up until now. After all, it had to be  _someone_ that disabled the cameras. They didn't just act up randomly for no reason. She was fully aware of his increasingly antic behavior as he grew older. And she knew he was a smart boy. A  _clever_ young man. If it weren't such a pain in her neck, she might've allowed herself to feel proud of it.  
  
"... _Oh_?"  
  
"I don't like what's happening to you, mother. You've been acting really weird and-"  
  
"Tell me, dear...how exactly do you know what I've been up to? Were you sneaking around places you  _shouldn't_ be?"  
  
"Wh-what? No! I-"  
  
"You're young, so you can't understand yet. But there are  _incredible_ things out there in Ultra Space...things that would  _completely_ change history."  
  
Her entire tone and demeanor became entirely intimidating. It rendered the poor boy nervous. He was trying his best not to make her upset too quickly. He truly still wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. She was his mother, after all. "Things...?" he repeatedly. Lusamine smiled. It was the first time her smile had looked... _scary_. Almost borderline disturbing and sadistic. Was she always this terrifying? He couldn't remember. He was certain she had never acted like this before. She stood up, walking towards her young son.  
  
"Ultra beasts, dear. It's been my only purpose since I decided to become a scientist! I knew ever since I was very young that there was  _always_ something bigger out there. And Ultra Beasts were that precise bigger. Bigger, better, and  _beautiful_."  
  
"What about dad?! He's gone because you were looking for them, right? That's the whole reason there was even a wormhole for him to get lost in to begin with!"  
  
She sighed heavily. Deep down, she had never truly stopped mourning him. But her heart and her head had twisted under all the duress. Perhaps, long ago, she did have hope that Mohn was out there. She had forgotten when she had given up this notion. She gave a pitiful look, "Oh, my poor sweet Mohn...his sacrifice was such a tragedy, but I will  _never_ forget it." Gladion scowled. He couldn't hold back his anger anymore.  _Sacrifice?!_ he thought. He couldn't believe the way she was talking about his father.   
  
"You don't even  _care_ about dad anymore, do you?! All you care about are your stupid Ultra Beasts!" he snapped. Lusamine scowled. She glared down at Gladion harshly. Her own rage had boiled in an instant. How  _dare_ this ungrateful brat accuse her of such a thing? He didn't know Mohn like she did. He barely even remembered his face. "WATCH. YOUR.  _TONE_ ," she demanded as she raised her voice. She wasn't sure why she was surprised anymore. At this rate, the boy would never change.  
  
"I care about your father more than  _anyone_ , Gladion! He would have  _wanted_ me to continue my research. So that's why-"  
  
"Would he have  _wanted_ you to ignore us and lock us away in our own house?! Or abuse pokémon just to further your research?! Cause I don't believe he  _would_!" he snapped. Her eyes darkened with a terrifying stern look. She knew if this continued, she'd do something everyone would regret. "Gladion...I think you should go play now. I don't much appreciate your accusations. And I have work to do," she declared, turning away from him and starting for her desk again.  
  
He maneuvered around her, blocking her path, "I won't let you! You can't open up another wormhole! It's dangerous! You're too obsessed with getting to Ultra Space, it's  _blinded_ you!" She glared at him again. Pulling out her cell phone to call security, she gave him one last warning, "If you try to get in my way, my wrath  _will_ be ugly, dear. I suggest you drop this and go to your room." He fumed even more at this. Why wouldn't she just listen to him? Didn't she care?!  
  
"No!" he objected, jumping up and snatching the phone from her hands. Her eyes widened in shock and disgust. "Let go of Ultra Space! Just come home already!" he demanded. She growled lowly at him as he backed away from her. "Give. That.  _BACK_!" she demanded. "No!" he yelled again, darting to get past her and out the door. But she was faster than him, she scooped him up, trying to snatch the phone back from him. "Don't make me do anything rash, Gladion. Give me back the phone," she ordered again.  
  
"Lemme go!" he demanded, struggling in her grip. Amidst his kicking and squirming, he managed to sock her in the face with his elbow. The blow hurt her so much she accidentally dropped the boy onto the floor as she cried out in pain. He fell with a loud thud, tears pricking at his eyes as he hit his head. He slowly pulled himself back up, still refusing to let loose on the phone in his hand. She growled in irritation. Her eyes widened when she found her lip was now bleeding.  
  
"YOU LITTLE...!" she snapped. Before Gladion could even react, she stamped her foot onto his hand with incredibly force. He cried out in pain, a tear streaming loose from one of his eyes. He noticed his hand had already started bleeding from how hard she had stomped on it. Still, he didn't let up on his grip on the phone. He wouldn't let her scare him. Not this time. He had to make all this stop. The resistance to her discipline only served to anger her further.  
  
"LET GO OF THE PHONE, GLADION. YOU ARE BEING A SPOILED  _BRAT_. I've given you  _everything_ you could ever want and all you can do is be selfish! I don't take kindly to thieves, so you had better put that phone down or  _else_!"  
  
"N-No...!"  
  
He was choking through his tears and the pain. The objection had completely destroyed Lusamine's will to spare him any mercy. She dug her heel into his hand further, ignoring as he cried and shouted in pain. Begging her,  _pleading_ her to stop. Nothing he said seemed to get through to her. Suddenly, he gasped in horror as he heard a loud crack. Shock kicked in to spare him from the agonizing pain as his bones were cracked. He wasn't able to keep his grip on the phone anymore.  
  
He was shaking now. He hesitantly looked down at his hand as Lusamine snatched the phone back up. It was blue and black, and it was drenched in blood. He tried to move it, despite the shock refusing to allow him to register any pain. But he couldn't. "M...My...My hand...I c-can't...move it..." he muttered. Lusamine huffed, ignoring him as she flipped open her phone again. "You know I really don't know  _where_ you got the nerve to-" she stopped mid sentence as she heard him start sniffling weakly.  
  
She stared at him. He looked pathetic. In her head, she easily justified what she had done. He was asking for it, after all. All he had to do was let go of the phone. It wasn't hard. She wasn't asking much. And he was long overdue for a taste of his own medicine. He had some nerve, hitting her. Yelling at her. Accusing her of things he didn't understand. Still, a small and distant part of her pitied him. She looked down at the phone again, dialing Wicke's cell phone instead.  
  
"Hello? Wicke? Send a medical team down here. Gladion's injured. I'll speak with you in person about it later. Goodbye."  
  
She hung up quickly, ignoring Wicke's frantic questions. She looked down on Gladion again. He was still sniffling and sobbing at his hand. She turned to face him, putting a hand on her hip. "This is what happens when you don't obey your mother like a  _good_ boy. Now get up. I know your legs still work," she ordered. He didn't move. He just continued to sob pathetically. She rolled her eyes. She was quite fed up with this act of his. She grabbed his arm, roughly pulling him to his feet.  
  
"At least your sister had the sense of mind to keep her mouth shut. Now you get to explain to her what happens when we break the rules," she snapped. Once he was on his feet, she let go of him and sat behind her desk. She got to work patching up the tear in her lip and the bleeding. He didn't say anything. He just kept on crying like a toddler. She thought he had grown out of things like this by now. It didn't take long before Wicke burst in the door with a few employees who had a small gurney.  
  
As soon as her eyes fell onto Gladion, she gasped in horror. "Oh my Arceus! Young Master, what on Earth  _happened_ to you?!" she cried. Even the nurse was mortified by his horrid condition. Lusamine gave him a stern look, "Go ahead, Gladion. Tell Ms Wicke what you did." Gladion hung his head. He didn't answer either of them, just turning away and muttering under his breath to the nurse, "I...I can walk..." Lusamine rolled her eyes impatiently at his pitiful posture.  
  
"Just take him to the medical ward, Wicke, please. I will discuss with you what happened later," she ordered. The nurse nodded at this, guiding the young boy out the door while the other employee followed behind with the gurney. Wicke gave Lusamine a nervous look. She considered challenging her strangely dismissive behavior. But she decided against it this time. For now, the young master needed her. She would get to the bottom of everything else later.

 

* * *

  
It was late again. Everything in the infirmary was quiet. All except for a single sniveling and sobbing boy with a cast over his damage hand. For the first time in his life, he was full of hopelessness. Everything had gone so wrong so quickly. Was he truly asking for far too much? No...he  _knew_ he wasn't. She didn't have to do this to him. She chose to. She didn't see him as anything other than expendable. He sobbed as it finally hit him. He was  _nothing_ to her.

 _"Cleffy...! Cleff...!"_  
  
His eyes grew wide as he lifted his head. Was he starting to hear things? Was that an effect of the pain meds? He looked all over the room frantically. He didn't know where it was coming from. He wasn't paying much attention when it had suddenly entered his ears. "Cl...Cleffy? Is that you...?!" he gasped. His eyes were beckoned towards the door as he heard it cry out again, "Cleff...! Cleff...!" He winced. It was definitely his Cleffa. He was about to get up when suddenly the door slid open.  
  
In the open doorway stood his little sister Lillie, her Lillipup and his Cleffa at her feet. As soon as Cleffa saw it's master, it cried out again, "Cleff!" It ran right for his bed, jumping up and down, begging for him to pick it up. "Cleff! Cleff!" it begged, tears pricking at it's eyes as it began to weep with worry. Lillie gasped in surprise, and quickly rushed forward, "Oh! Cleffy, wait up!" Picking up the crying pokémon, she lifted it up onto the bed. It charged into Gladion, nuzzling his chest as it cried.  
  
"Cleeefff...!" it cried. Gladion began to cry again himself, wrapping his arms around the tiny pokémon tightly. "Cleffy...I...I missed you too..." he muttered. Lillipup ran up to Lillie, barking worriedly up at her. The sound brought Gladion out of his reunion with Cleffa quickly as he turned to look at his sister. "Th-thank you, sis...I-I don't know what to say," he sniffled. Lillie smiled sweetly, placing her hands on the bed as she leaned in towards him.  
  
"Of course, big brother. As soon as I heard I wanted to do something to cheer you up! So, I asked mommy if I could play with her for a little while. As soon as she wasn't paying attention to me anymore I came right here with Cleffy!"  
  
"L-Lillie...! You could get in serious trouble!"  
  
Lillie shook her head, "It's ok...I'm used to it by now." She looked up at him again. She had heard herself that his hand had been broken, but only now could she finally believe it as she saw it with her own eyes. Still, she was fuzzed on the details. "So...what happened to you?" she asked. He grimaced at the question. Burying his face in Cleffa's soft fur, he took a deep breath. "...Mother...mother broke my hand," he admitted. Lillie's face contorted in horror, covering her mouth as she gasped.  
  
That just couldn't be true. But why would her brother ever lie to her? And she couldn't deny she had noticed how unconcerned Lusamine seemed about his well-being. Lillie knew she was the only one who bothered visiting the entire day. Gladion shook his head, "I...I never should've provoked her like that. Look what it got me. She'll  _never_ change...!" Lillie chewed her lower lip nervously. She had never her seen her brother act out this way before. He had always been timid and kind of a scaredy-cat.  
  
At least in her own words, he was. He had said before he often got scared by the same things she did. It surprised her just how much he was acting out against their mother lately. Maybe he was just still upset she was getting distant. "Oh big brother...it's ok, you've got me and Cleffy here with you too, you know. I'm sure mother is just...having a bad day is all," she reasoned. Gladion scowled bitterly at this. He scoffed, "Psh. She's  _always_ having a bad day."  
  
She cringed at this. Looking down dejectedly, she held back tears as she muttered, "I'm sorry..." He sighed as guilt set in. He looked down at his pokémon sadly. Giving it a gentle pat on the head, he mustered a weak smile. "Thank you, Cleffy...for worrying about me. I'm fine, really. Just a bruise is all. I'll...I'll walk it off. Promise," he assured. He was lying through his teeth, of course. But he didn't want the poor pokémon to be wrought with worry. "Cleffyyyyy..." it moaned, worriedly.  
  
"Thank you for coming to see me...and I missed you a lot," he frowned before he continued, "But...you should go back to mother now. I don't want you to get hurt and I don't want Lillie to get in trouble." Lillie's eyes widened at this as Cleffa squeaked in protest. "Sh-She doesn't  _have_ to, you know! Maybe...maybe mother will let me keep her!" she yelped. Gladion winced, his eyes sliding shut as he grimaced. "Just...stop, Lillie. It's ok..." he muttered, though he certainly didn't believe what he was saying.  
  
"Gladion..." she muttered. The Cleffa began nuzzling his hand, still hesitant to leave his side. "Cleff..." it cooed before looking up at him, "Cleff?" He nodded at it, knowing what it was asking. "We'll see each other again. I promise. I'll get you back..." he whispered. Hesitantly, Lillie picked the Cleffa up again. She stared at her elder brother with great sorrow. She wished deeply she could lift his spirits. "I hope you get better soon, big brother. Good night..." she said.  
  
Even as she turned and began leaving, the Cleffa didn't stop looking at it's master. It had an unshakable, horrible feeling in it's gut. Despite this, it rathered to trust it's master. He knew what was best, after all. As the door slid shut and they left, Gladion's eyes closed tightly again. He gripped the sheets tightly as he shook again. Something began boiling inside him. An idea swirled in the back of his head. All he could do was weep, washed over with immense guilt and mourning.  
  
"I'm sorry, Cleffy..."

 

* * *

 

Lillie gently creaked open the door to her mother's bedroom. Looking around curiously, she noticed the room was dark. Perhaps her mother had already left. Or maybe she was just in her bathroom. She wasn't sure, she just knew she had already searched every inch of the house and the entire facility as a whole that she could've. Slowly stepping further and further inside, she gulped. "Hello? Mother? I-I need to talk to you!" she called. She stopped when she noticed an opening where her mother's mirror usually was.  
  
It was a walk-in narrow compartment. A glowing platform was installed into the floor. She had no clue what it was meant to be. "Huh?" she said. Inching closer to the platform, she stared down at it curiously. "What's... _this_ thing?" she asked. Hesitantly, she touched it with her toes. Nothing happened, however. This made her raise a brow. Confident that it was purely decorative, she stepped completely onto it. However, she was startled as a light enveloped her and nearly blinded her.  
  
She gasped as the light faded. She looked around. She was in a dark, black room. It was huge. Almost towering. What  _was_ this place? She had never seen it before. She looked down and noticed she was still standing on the platform. Had...she been teleported? She looked up again, noticing just up ahead was her mother and...Professor Faba? They were stood in front of a strange machine. She ducked behind a wall, peeking out from behind it as she listened in close.  
  
"Ahhh...how  _beautiful_ ~! It's working  _perfectly_! This little thing sure packs quite a bit of power."  
  
"My device is working just as planned. We should have an Ultra Wormhole open in no time!"  
  
Upon further inspection, Lillie noticed a tiny box compartment that was see-through. A trembling, crying creature was sat inside it. It looked much like a smog, but it was colored brightly like a nebulous sky. Her eyes grew wide. What was wrong with it? Why wasn't her mother doing anything? Didn't she notice it was in pain? Suddenly, the buckling and roaring machine completely powered down and the tiny creature passed out. Lusamine's eyes widened and she glared at Faba impatiently.  
  
"WHAT HAPPENED?!"  
  
"I-I don't know, I-"  
  
"FIX IT! That pokémon is the key to opening that wormhole and getting to my  _precious_ beast! I don't care if you have to suck out it's entire life force, just get that damn machine working!"  
  
"Y-Yes Madam President! As you wish!"  
  
Lillie covered her mouth to suppress her gasps and whimpers. She thanked the cover of the dark shadows as her mother came down her way. She stepped onto the platform, disappearing in a flash of light. She gulped. Her eyes were wide with shock and horror. "Ultra...Wormhole...?" she whispered. She peeked around the corner again. Faba was already at work trying to wake the exhausted creature. It looked so pitiful. So weak. She couldn't help but feel bad for it.  
  
She waited a few minutes, before looking back at the platform behind her. She shook her head. It was a mistake to come down here. She knew she had just seen thing she wasn't meant to see. Perhaps it was best to move on pretend nothing happened. Surely she was over-reacting. Her mother was a reasonable woman, after all. Wasn't she? Timidly and quietly, she stepped back on to the platform. As soon as she was back in her mother's room, she fled to her room. Her thoughts that day would be plagued with that pokémon's scared face.

 

* * *

  
His lungs were burning with exhaustion already. His plan had barely just begun, and yet already he was a hot mess. He was breathing raggedly and heavily. He was sweating profusely. Frantically, he punched the bypass code in to the elevator after selecting the basement floor. He knew he had very little time. Even if by some miracle the lackeys in the camera room were on break or not paying any attention. He just hoped his hard work didn't go to complete waste.  
  
As soon as the elevator reached the desired floor, he didn't waste time rushing down the hall. He stopped in front of a particular door, bursting in and looking around frantically. Eventually, his eyes landed on a dark cage that was an extended part of the room. Closeby was a PC with controls and an active screen detailing the status of a creature that he had never seen before. As he approached the cage, he observed 3 identical creatures that were laying in wait. They noticed his approach, all lifting their heads to gaze at him curiously.  
  
He gulped nervously. They were  _huge_. All of them had strange and uncomfortable looking masks on their faces. One of them timidly grunted in confusion. Gently, he grabbed the bars of the cage and stared at them. "Are...you all...alright?" he whispered. One of the other creatures growled as it scowled at him. He knew he couldn't free them until he convinced them not to attack him. And he didn't have a lot of time to do so. Another one stood up, slowly inching towards him.  
  
It didn't seem hostile. It was quiet. Gladion took a step back, still keeping a hand on one of the bars. The hostile one of the trio grunted in disapproval at it. It looked back at the other one, grunting lowly. As if warning it or daring it to repeat itself. It didn't, it merely lowered it's head obediently. Gladion stared nervously as it continued to approach him. It stopped a few inches from the bars, sniffing him curiously. It glanced at the PC to the side. He understood immediately what it demanded from him.  
  
He let go of the bars. As he began fiddling with the PC, he noticed all sorts of information about each of the creatures appear on the screen. Their code names, their move sets, even their abilities. All three of them were identical in pretty much every aspect. He raised a brow at the collective name they had been designated with. "Type:Null?" he wondered aloud. He also observed the names accredited to each entry of information that flashed on the screen as well. As the Nulls individual code names came up, he saw Wicke's name.  
  
He scowled. Finally, he managed to gain access to the lock of the cage. Pushing the enter key on the keyboard, he stepped back as the bars slowly rose up to allow the Nulls out. They all grunted at each other in fuss and confusion. The one that had approached him was the first to step out. Soon the remaining 2 followed suit. They were both much more hesitant, however. Gladion stared at the first Null nervously. Slowly, and careful to not startle it, he held out his hand.  
  
"You're free now. You can come with me. I know you have no reason to trust me, but I'm not like them. I promise. I can help you. You want to leave, don't you?"  
  
It slowly approached him again, sniffing at him cautiously. Once it was mere inches from his hand, it grunted at him. Gladion didn't know how to answer it's call. Instead, he just waited patiently for it to come closer. Then, to his surprise, the Null nudged it's head against his hand to best of it's ability. His eyes widened. He couldn't help but smile with relief. Gently and slowly moving his hand to pet it, he allowed himself to ease up as he stepped a bit closer to it.  
  
"There...see? I'm here to help. You just have to follow my lead," he cooed. The Null nodded at him. It turned back to it's brethren, grunting at them to relay Gladion's instructions. The hostile Null grunted back with a huff. It appeared to object to the plan. This only prompted the docile Null to grunt in a low growl that Gladion knew to be a challenge of some kind. The timid Null poked it's head up, grunting at the hostile Null with a panic. It appeared to be trying to mediate and prevent discord between them.  
  
The hostile Null stared down at it for a moment, before huffing in defeat. It approached Gladion as well, the timid Null following it's lead. Gladion nodded. He had earned their trust...for now. He turned his head towards the door, pointing towards it, "This way. If we hurry, we can make it to the docks and head for the islands. I know someone that can help us there. But we have to be quick." The leading Null nodded in understanding, and once again relayed the instructions to it's comrades.  
  
A glint came to Gladion's eyes as the other 2 appeared to agree with the plan. Without wasting another moment, he guided the creatures towards the door. As he began leading them to freedom, his panic had begun to fade a little. For once, he felt like things were looking up for him. For once, he was doing something instead of just cowering like a small child. Granted, he was still terrified of the consequences. But even so, he wouldn't give up. Not now.  
  
Everything would be just fine so long as he kept his head held up high... _right_?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is going back to the present, don't worry there won't be anymore of these.  
> By the way for those of you wondering what Wicke named them, she named them Pepper, Sweetpea and Alpha. She named them when they were still Type:Fulls since they've all had the same natures since they were created. Gladion just doesn't refer to Alpha by his code name since he's still bitter with Wicke.


	35. Chapter 34 - Most Disputes Die And No One Shoots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillie gets in some more training with Plumeria and after evolving one of her pokémon is sent off to Akala Island for her next field mission.

There was no sound but the gentle snipping of scissors. All her pokémon watched as she trimmed down her hair. It had already begun growing out again. Her Eevee sniffed at the snippets of hair curiously. Fomantis was swiftly sweeping it up with Clefairy's help and tossing it in the bin beside her vanity. Once she was finished, she flicked the remaining bits off her shoulders. As she went to grab her bag, she observed that Nebby was still incredibly weak. She zipped up the bag, leaving space for it to breathe. Once she turned around, Fomantis and Clefairy had already finished cleaning up.  
  
Pointing to the floor, she looked her Eevee in the eye. "You, come. We're doing some training with Plumeria today," she ordered. Eevee nodded, obediently following as it bid it's fellow pokémon farewell. As it began down the stairs, Lillie crossed her arms at her other pokémon, "And no slacking. Everyone keep training up here too. You know the drill." They nodded, moving into position for their first spar of the day. Finally she could follow after Eevee to head outside. It wasn't rainy outside today, in fact it was incredibly hot and sweltering.  
  
Still, she didn't let it deter her from wearing all the black she wore. She was much like her brother in her disgust of the color white. However, she wasn't exactly more attracted to darker colors. She merely just wore them in defiance. Just as she cut down her hair in defiance. She was little more than a rebel. Fitting, with the crowd she had shuffled herself into. As her long boots clacked against the stone pavement, she approached her eagerly waiting mentor. She noted Guzma sitting on the roof with his Golisopod to get a near perfect view.  
  
Plumeria was tossing her ball and catching it over and over as she waited. However, once she caught sight of her pupil she stopped. Pushing the button to enlarge it, she smirked smugly. "You ready for your lesson, princess?" she asked. The blonde nodded, glancing to her Eevee. It flipped it's curled hair with it's paw, as if to boast before it stepped forward and barked in acceptance of the challenge. Plumeria tossed her ball into the air, calling out her beloved scaly friend, "Salandit! It's time to play!" It emerged with a hiss, wiggling with anticipation.  
  
Eevee growled. This was not it's first encounter with the unpleasant lizard pokémon. And likely not the last. The prerogative was training primarily, but it had it's own goal in mind. To take down the bastardly lizard and reclaim it's pride. "Veeee...!" it growled. "Eevee, Baby-Doll Eyes!" Lillie commanded, taking the first move for herself. Eevee nodded, mustering up yet another unbearable look. The Salandit faltered. It seemed it was utterly powerless under that stare no matter how many times it saw it.  
  
"Salandit, focus! Use Poison Gas!"  
  
Eevee's face turned a sickening blue as purple gas entered the air and infected it's lungs. It strongly resisted the urge to barf. Lillie growled under her breath at this. She had hoped Plumeria would wait a bit longer before doing this. But it seemed her luck was starting to turn over out of her favor. "Eevee, hit it with Swift!" An array of stars formed and shot themselves into the Salandit. Each hit left it with a new scratch on it's scales. It hissed angrily again once the onslaught had ceased. It still wasn't weakened enough to change the odds yet.  
  
"Flame Burst!" Plumeria commanded. Lillie's brow raised at this.  _She taught it a new move...?!_ she thought. Lillie panicked. She had to act quickly, "Dodge it and use Quick Attack!" As the Salandit spit a large wad of molten fire at Eevee, the small pup dodged it, veering to the side to avoid it. Then, at breakneck speeds, it darted forward and smashed into the Salandit, knocking it back a few feet. Despite the poison coursing through it's system, it seemed much more determined to suppress the pain it felt than before. It's passion for battling was burning brightly.  
  
It didn't intend to lose.  
  
"Dragon Rage, now!" Plumeria ordered. The lizard's mouth unhinged as a purple ball of fire formed and was shot at the Eevee. It wasn't able to dodge this time, taking the hit in full and stumbling to Lillie's feet. It pulled itself up, shaking with adrenaline. "V-Veeeee..." it growled, hoarsely. "Are you alright, Eevee?" Lillie asked. The Eevee nodded, barking quietly. "Alright then, hit it with Swift again!" she ordered. Another onslaught of stars shot into the lizard and left it even more scratched up. Still, it seemed to have much more energy than Eevee did.  
  
Plumeria shook her head, "You're just flailing around desperately, princess. The clock is ticking. Soon, your Eevee won't be able to stand to defend itself. What will you do, then?" Lillie scowled. She wasn't wrong. Eevee was just slowly ticking down towards it's last bursts of energy, no matter how hard it fought it's condition. The Eevee coughed, barking at it's master and begging for an order. Plumeria just shook her head again, "Salandit, Flame Burst!" Lillie closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. No...she couldn't lose here! Not without her best.  
  
"Baby-Doll Eyes!"  
  
As Salandit began hacking up another molten ball of fire, the Eevee gazed at it again. The ball shrunk down considerably as Salandit began to sweat nervously. The hit was still powerful, and Eevee was left with a few burns. But still, it stood. It shook it's head, flapping it's ears and hair about. It coughed again, it's spit littering the pavement. A couple of the grunts that were watching laughed in amusement. This only served to make Lillie angrier. As it continued coughing, a particularly loud hack entered the air that only made the grunts laugh harder.  
  
However, all but Lillie and Plumeria had failed to notice the purple substance dripping out of it's mouth. As soon as it did, the coughing had stopped. Her eyes widened. "You...dispelled it?" she gasped. The Eevee turned it's head to look at it's trainer. It smiled, "Eevee~!" It spit onto the pavement, suddenly feeling rejuvenated. Lillie couldn't help but smile, and the grunts had stopped their laughing. Now they were just groaning and whining about how impossible it was. And yes, it  _was_ impossible. But it was an impossible the Eevee wasn't taking just sitting down.  
  
Plumeria raised a brow, "Well I'll be damned...it found a way to overcome our Poison Gas." Lillie smirked smugly. A glint shined in her eyes. She pointed at the Salandit eagerly. She wouldn't miss her chance now, "Swift, again!" The Eevee shuffled anxiously as it began forming stars again. Then, the sun seemed to glow much brighter than it was before. Suddenly, Eevee was enveloped in a white light. It soaked in the sunlight, basking in it's rays eagerly. All of the light was so blinding nobody could really see it when the Eevee's form began to shift.  
  
However, it didn't take long for the light to dim down. Including the Eevee itself. Everyone looked up, and gasped in shock. Where the fluffy pup pokémon once stood, was now a majestic looking creature. With large and cat-like ears, and large tufts of fur on it's cheeks. It's body was much slimmer, much like it's tail which had grown longer. At the end it seemed to split into a fork-like formation. It flipped it's bangs in the sunlight, revealing a red gem embedded in it's head underneath them. As it opened it's eyes, the deep brown color had changed into a elegant purple.  
  
Guzma was leaned forward now, pushing up his sunglasses to get a better look. No one had noticed under all the light, but the attack had already hit. Doing critical damage at that, with Salandit covered in double the scratches. Plumeria stared in awe, "Unbelievable...it evolved into an Espeon!" Slowly, Lillie became filled with adrenaline as her excitement grew. It evolved. Her Eevee evolved! She shot Guzma a glance expectantly, but he still seemed distracted by the Eevee's new form. She swallowed, turning to put her attention back onto her foe.  
  
Plumeria shook her head to bring herself out of her trance. She pointed at the Espeon to direct her Salandit, "Salandit, attack with Flame Burst, again!" Lillie gasped as the Salandit unhinged it's mouth to spit out another ball of flames. The Espeon's forked tail swayed, and it's ears began to twitch. The motions pulled Lillie out of her shock as she realized she needed to act. "Espeon, look out!" she cried. As the Salandit began to hiss, prepared to fire it's attack, the Espeon opened it's mouth and reared up on it's back legs. A strange light formed from it's mouth.  
  
Then, it shot a colorful beam of pink, blue and purple rings. It hit the Salandit hard, knocking it back with great force. The attack seemed to do incredible damage as it rolled back towards Plumeria's feet. Plumeria looked down at her Salandit, gasping in shock. It's eyes were swirled and it was moaning unconsciously in pain. It had fainted. Slowly, she looked up at her pupil. Lifting up her arm, she called the result. "The Princess wins! Salandit is down!" she shouted. Lillie's eyes widened and sparkled with overwhelming joy. Guzma smirked, standing up and jumping down from the roof safely.  
  
As Plumeria called her Salandit back into it's ball, he passed her and approached Lillie. Lillie bowed her head respectfully. He pat her head, chuckling lightly. "You just keep on impressin', kid. Nice work with your Espeon," he praised. She blushed, smiling shyly as she lifted her head back up. Her smile quickly faded, as she stared up at him expectantly again. "So...?" she said. Guzma nodded, "You're ready, princess. You can go back to the islands." A smug grin spread across her face as she nodded, straightening her posture and saluting with a hand over her chest.  
  
"I won't disappoint you, boss!"  
  
"I know ya won't, princess."  
  
He turned to look at Plumeria, "Plum! Give 'er a pager!" He looked at Lillie again, smirking proudly. "She's ready," he stated. Plumeria smiled, pulling a pager out of her pocket and handing it over to Lillie. However, just as Lillie was about to thank her, she pulled out a strange looking pokéball with blue wave-like patterns on it. She examined it curiously, "I've never seen this kind of pokéball before." Plumeria put a hand on her hip, leaning to the side a bit. "It's a Dive Ball. Helps ya catch sea critters. Try catching one when ya get to Akala," she suggested.  
  
Lillie raised a brow at this, "Akala? You don't want me to go back to Melemele?"  
  
"Princess, sendin' ya back there is an insult to your strength. Akala is perfect for ya."  
  
"...Thank you. I'll do my best, promise. And I won't lose this time!"  
  
"That's the spirit. Go get 'em tigress~!"  
  
Lillie nodded, looking to her Espeon before she departed back for her home to collect her pokémon. Plumeria glanced to Guzma curiously, sneering with suspicion. "You're thinkin' about somethin'..." she muttered. He rolled his eyes, waving her off as he turned away from her and back towards the mansion. "Yer imaginin' things. I'm gonna go give Golisopod a bath. You oughta head down to the Pokémon Center," he replied. She rolled her eyes. Heading their separate ways down the road, they both only had one thing on their minds.  
  
_Kick her ass, princess_

* * *

  
Espeon was basking in all the glorious attention as it's fellow party members fawned over it's newest form. Lillie was more than willing to give them a moment, as she prepared supplies for her trip. Once she was done, she checked up on Nebby's condition once again. Though she didn't expect anything different, some part of her had hoped he'd be bouncing around in there. But still, no movement. Still asleep soundly. Anxiety began creeping up into her brain again. Certainly, she had been awaiting this day for quite a while now. A chance to stick it to that obnoxious girl.  
  
A chance to expand her horizons and get much,  _much_ stronger. But was she truly ready? Sure, her mentors seemed to think so, but they had been wrong about her before. After all...she had failed them once already. However, it began to fade as she remembered her conversation with Guzma. It did quite a lot to lift her spirits, frankly. And she had felt a weight lifted off her now that she didn't have to hide Nebby from them. Now if only she could offer that same trust to the grunts. She turned to look at her pokémon again. They had calmed down, though they appeared to be asking questions.  
  
Grabbing up all their pokéballs, she approached the group. Looking amongst them, she set her sights on Fomantis. She swiftly called everyone back into their balls, leaving the Fomantis out. She put the pokéballs back in the bag, slinging it over her shoulder. The Fomantis began waddling beside her, curious of her choice. Lillie made her way to the stairs, but stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a creaking sound.  The Fomantis didn't even have to ask questions. It carefully waddling closer to inspect the noise. Another creak.  
  
"RAZOR LEAF!!!"  
  
A high pitched screech was heard as Fomantis darted razor sharp leaves down the stairs at the intruder. Not before now had anyone trespassed without knocking. The only one who had ever been in her home was Plumeria. She knew it definitely couldn't have been her, either. The scream sounded much too squeaky. Slowly, she climbed down the stairs, her Fomantis ahead of her. She looked around, and at first she didn't see anything. Until of course, her eyes landed on a shivering lump of sheets on the floor. She rolled her eyes, pulling the sheets off to reveal a grunt girl.  
  
"D-DON'T KILL ME!!!"  
  
Lillie's eyes widened, "X-Xerneas! Calm down! I'm not gonna kill you! But I  _will_ kick your ass!" The girl flailed her arms around as she began begging for her life. She had bright and un-naturally colored hair, like every grunt. Curiously enough, it was a bright honey yellow. Lillie could see she had freckles under her face mask, and her bulbous eyes were a light pink color. Lillie crossed her arm, sneering grumpily at the girl as she began crying frantically. "Please please  _please_ spare me, princess Lillie! I just wanted to see your pokémon!" she begged.  
  
_Princess, huh?_ Lillie thought. She slowly smirked. None of the grunts had ever dignified her with the title unless forced reluctantly by her mentors. She played with her braid, twirling it as she gave a mischievous look. "Hmmm, alright. Since you were kind enough to address me  _properly_ ," she snided. True as it were she somewhat realized the irony in her act. However, it felt good to be the one giving orders for once. Especially with how grating these grunts were. After all, who were they to disrespect her all the time?  
  
The girl's eyes sparkled, as she jumped to her feet and clasped her hands together. Her fingers intertwined as she gave Lillie an adoring look. The kind of look you'd expect from a small child. "Oh,  _thank_ you, Skull Princess! C-Could I see some of your pokémon, please? I-I'll leave you alone after, promise!" she begged. Lillie's act faltered a bit. Who was this girl? Had she seen her around the town before? Outside, on the islands? No, she was sure she hadn't. Maybe she was just usually quiet. Few grunts were.  
  
"Um...I'm about to head out actually, sooo-"  
  
"O-Oh! I know! I saw your battle with Plumeria! That was sooo amaaazing~! Your Espeon's Psybeam was soooo cool!"  
  
"Thanks...?"  
  
"Oh! Right! That's a really insulting adjective! It's not strong enough! It was...fantastic! Superb! Perfection!"  
  
"O-kaaayyy,  _you_ need to take it back by about 100 ticks, speed-wagon."  
  
Placing her hands on the girl's shoulders, she pushed her back slightly. She had long since overstayed her welcome in Lillie's personal bubble. The girl pulled down her face mask, completely revealing her face. It was like an explosion of freckles across her nose and cheeks. Lillie couldn't help but compare her to a chipmunk with how cute she was. "C-Can I call you Big Sis?" she asked. Lillie froze. She wasn't sure why the question both irked and stirred her at the same time. It was an innocent question. This girl clearly idolized Lillie immensely, after all.  
  
But she had never thought about the idea of being anyone's elder sister. Let alone an idol just by itself. The girl seemed to realize that she had stepped over too many boundaries. She flinched back, "S...Sorry. That's rude of me to ask." Lillie took a deep breath. "What's your name again?" she asked. The girls eyes lit up, "I-I'm Strelitzia. I'm one of the grunts. I-I'm the youngest...I got her only a few weeks before you did. B-but I don't talk to the other grunts much...they're...kind of mean..." She began playing with her hair as she pouted.  
  
Lillie frowned. She had to sympathize with the sentiment. "Yeah...they're grade-A jerks alright," she huffed, crossing her arms again. The girl rubbed her arm nervously. She hesitated to say something. The first time since she had lifted her over-excitable head. "U-Um...I heard about your lousy brother. I-I just wanted to say sorry that happened to you," she muttered. Lillie raised a brow at this. Usually, the topic ruined her day. But lately, she had been so distracted with her other goals she had all but forgotten about her traitorous brother.  
  
"Th...thanks."  
  
"I used to have an unreliable big brother too. He was a real jerkface just like all the grunts!"  
  
"...Really now?"  
  
"Yeah! He would bully me, steal my pokémon, and he pulled nasty and unfair pranks on me all the time!"  
  
"What...what about your mom?" Lillie asked, growing slightly uneasy as she listened. Strelitzia sighed. She pouted, "She was a total drunk. She barely even noticed. And even when she did, she just egged him on." Lillie winced. Fomantis was listening curiously, not quite entirely understanding what the girls were talking about. Strelitzia reluctantly finished, "So, I took my pokémon out of my brother's room and I ran away. Plumeria found me in a dumpster in a back alley of Malie City." Lillie stopped looking on the girl with pity, and instead with sympathy.  
  
"...She found me on the beach up the street from here. My brother ran away without me and left me behind to deal with our mother myself. But I refused...after my mother handed me one of his old pokémon he left behind, I left."  
  
"He abandoned his own pokémon  _too_?! What a coward! I was scared of  _my_ family but I at least didn't leave my pokémon behind!"  
  
"Yeah...I've been taking care of it for him since obviously he doesn't care about it anymore."  
  
"That's good! What pokémon is it?"  
  
"...It's...a Clefairy."  
  
"How cute! I have a Happiny and a Morelull! I'm still not a very good battler so I don't have a Fomantis like all the other girls do...but I'm sure one of these days I will!"  
  
Lillie smiled and nodded. "Yeah...I'm sure you will," she assured. Strelitzia smiled, pulling her face mask back over her mouth. "W-Well...sorry to keep you. I'm just a really big fan!" she praised. Lillie stepped aside, watching the girl head for the front door quietly. She stared on, debating mentally whether or not to stop her. Just as she began turning the door knob, Lillie spoke up. "Hey, before you go..." she objected. Strelitzia stopped, turning to look at her curiously. For a moment, she only received a blank stare. Then, Lillie smiled again.  
  
"...You can call me Big Sis...but not in front of the other grunts or the bosses. Got it?"  
  
The girl's eyes sparkled. If she could see her mouth, Lillie was sure she'd find a huge grin stretching across her face. The girl nodded, "Th-thanks, Big Sis! Good luck on Akala! I'll train real hard so I can come outside with you!" And with that, Strelitzia exited. Lillie put a hand on her hip, shaking her head as she scoffed in amusement. Fomantis was still left confused. Eventually, Lillie approached the door as well. Taking out her ride pager, she smirked.   
  
"Well then, guess I better not keep you waiting."

* * *

  
For once, it was a  _pleasantly_  familiar feeling as she soared through the air atop Charizard's back. Fomantis was sat in the dufflebag beside Nebby, becoming dizzy from the heights and turbulence. Eventually, Lillie reached Akala Island. As she looked down at the sea, she observed an Aether Foundation ferry boat leaving the docks of a particularly fetching resort. It was hard to tell from this high up, but she could've sworn she saw a water pokémon diving constantly above waters alongside it. She didn't concern herself with it too much, however.  
  
Directing her Charizard towards a beach front, she landed by a particularly dry path that appeared to lead to the island's volcano. Once she was down, she unhooked her equipment and returned it to the Charizard, pulling her Fomantis out of her bag. It stumbled on the ground dizzily as she fed the Charizard a pokébean as thanks for it's service and sent it on it's way. By the time she turned around again, the Fomantis had shaken off it's nausea and was focused. She looked around, noticing only a couple of trainers in the vicinity.  
  
She already had her targets. She smirked down at her Fomantis, "You know, I'll bet you folks around here have all  _sorts_ of Water Types. What say we get some easy pickings, hm?" The Fomantis nodded, chirping excitedly. And easy picking it was. It hardly took her more than 1 hit on every trainer she challenged. Only a few of them had enough pokémon on their team to at least keep her entertained for long enough. However, it still wasn't good enough. Within only an hour she chased off every other trainer. And likely, had begun a wide spread panic of the Skull Gang's presence.  
  
No matter. She wouldn't let that stop her from accomplishing her mission. She was flipping through her newly-earned cash that she had swindled from the poor trainers she had beaten. Her Fomantis was sweaty, but it seemed to be getting stronger from every fight. It felt invigorated. Then, suddenly, it jumped up and summoned an array of sharp leaves in a protective shield behind Lillie. She turned, but was only forced to cover her nearly blinded eyes by the blast of 2 forces colliding. When the dust settled, she looked up.  
  
In the sand across from them was a pokémon that was purple and blue, primarily. It had a stalk-like body and head and it's blue irises were accompanied by yellow sclera. It's small mouth had 3 jagged teeth that poked between it's lips. Blue tentacles hung off it's head,  _littered_ with dull looking spikes with purple tips on them. The tentacles were so long, they almost resembled hair. On the top of it's head was a splotch of purple with a collection of spikes that folded together much like a flower, a single yellow spine nestled in the center of it.  
  
"Woah...what  _is_ that thing? It looks poisonous..." she wondered. She rubbed a finger under her chin in thought.  _Well, it's most likely a water pokémon if it's sat out by the ocean like this..._ she theorized.  _In **that** case... _she smirked, glancing to her Fomantis. "Alright then! Let's catch it! Fomantis, weaken it with Razor Leaf!" she commanded. The Fomantis jumped into action, sicking an onslaught of razor sharp leaves on the spiky pokémon. It cried out in pain, however, it seemed most of the leafs barely broke skin by a hair.  
  
"H-Huh? That should've worked. Is it resistant...?" she wondered. She shook her head. No, that wasn't it. The pokémon was left with many light markings. So it took a fair amount of damage. But it seemed not to be as effective as she expected it to be. The strange pokémon darted forward, smacking Fomantis with one of it's spiky tentacles. However, one of the spikes pierced Fomantis's body upon impact. Once it landed on it's feet, it began wobbling as it became sick. Lillie cursed under her breath.  _Damn...it **is** poisonous! _she thought.  
  
"Fomantis, try to keep it together! Fury Cutter, now!"   
  
Fomantis dove forward again, slicing into the spiky pokémon with it's pincer-like claws. But it didn't do much damage. As it was knocked back again, the pokémon screeched in annoyance.  _It's resistant to Bug Type moves...?!_ she panicked. She had to think of something, quick. This pokémon was obviously going to be harder to catch than she previously thought. She glanced into her bag, staring down at all the pokéballs rolling around beside Nebby. She knew at this rate, Fomantis wouldn't be able to do much against this creature. She sighed.  
  
"Fomantis, return!" she commanded, calling the small pokémon back into it's ball. She tossed out her Friend Ball as she called for another companion. "Espeon, it's your turn!" she shouted. The Espeon landed gracefully on it's feet as it exited it's encapsulation through the light that escaped it's ball. It flipped it's bangs, revealing the gem upon it's head once again. "Esp!" it scoffed. Suddenly, the tentacle pokémon seemed to become nervous. It's eye twitched with anger and yet it was sweating. Lillie raised a brow at this.  
  
_It's...afraid of Espeon?_ she wondered. She shook her head. "Espeon, use Swift!" she ordered. The Espeon charged up it's attack, the stars it created sparkling with purple and pink colors. The spiky pokémon was knocked back by the attack, though it didn't seem to do anything in particular. Lillie growled with frustration. At this rate, it would take her hours to catch this stubborn creature. At this point, she was willing to try anything to make it weak enough to capture. The hostile pokémon jumped back up, suddenly tossing an array of purple spikes across the sand.  
  
The Espeon raised a brow curiously. It meowed at the pokémon, almost mockingly so. Lillie's brows perked up as she remembered something Plumeria had told her about. "Toxic Spikes...damn! I can't switch anyone else out without risking them getting poisoned!" she cursed. The hostile creature was now smiling smugly. It seemed pleased with itself, strangely enough. There was a glint in it's eyes, a glint that Lillie recognized. She smirked, "Well played, brat. But I won't go down so easily." She looked to her Espeon again.  
  
"Let's try something else. Espeon, use Psybeam!" she commanded. The Espeon reared it's head, as it began charging it's attack. The spiky pokémon's nervous demeanor immediately returned. This only made Lillie's smirk more sinister.  _Gotcha..._ she thought. Once again, an array of blue, pink, and purple rings in a long ray shot out of the Espeon's mouth. The knock-back sent the wild pokémon flying several feet back. It was incredibly damaged, and only just barely managed to pull itself back up with it's tentacles. However, before it could defend itself, a bright light consumed it.  
  
Lillie had wasted no time sending a ball flying to capture it after it had been hit. And once the ball snapped shut, it fell into the sand and wobbled. Espeon and Lillie both watched on anxiously as the it wobbled a third time. And then... _click_. The pokéball ceased movement in succession of the capture. Lillie grinned, hopping up and down excitedly, "Yes! I caught it! I actually caught it!" The Espeon walked over to the ball, securing it with it's fork-ended tail and returning it to it's master. Lillie gave Espeon a pet, gently taking the ball and putting it away in her bag.  
  
"Alright, I've got myself a Poison Type. Won't Plumeria be real excited?" she smirked.   
  
"Esp!"  
  
"Come on, let's get to a less hazardous area to heal the others."  
  
"Espe! Es!"  
  
The Espeon eagerly bounded alongside it's trainer as they began down the long beach. It was a beautiful day today. A day perfect for seeing the sights and going on a lovely tour. It wasn't like other days, days where one might stay inside and read a book. Perhaps cuddle with their pokémon in bed. It was a day to get up and face the world with your chin up and your eyes bright. As she approached the shores, pulling out her ride pager to call a Lapras taxi, she called for her Espeon to hop onto her shoulders for safety.  
  
"Let's go crush some amateurs."


	36. Chapter 35 - But You Were Not The Same

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Hau's trial in the Wela Volcano, the boys head up to Route 8. However, they are stopped by 2 unfortunately familiar faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another special POV change chapter. This time you'll be reading from Gladion's perspective.

It was a lot warmer up this path. Though I doubt that contributed to the heat on my face. It did make an excellent excuse, though. The whole morning had been a little awkward. Starting with us once again waking up tangled in each other's arms like we once had at the motel back on Melemele. It was my fault this time again. After all, I had stupidly asked him to sleep in my bed with me. What was I thinking? Clearly the only reason he even agreed is because he still felt guilty. Even after I had told him it was all on me to begin with.  
  
Were we just cursed? Cursed, to go in circles forever and ever? Neither one of us would let the other take the blame. I knew that by now. And even still, I willingly butt heads with him. Was it because I still felt guilty about my own failures? Did I have to add more on top of them? No. This was definitely all my fault. He wouldn't have had to babysit me if I wasn't so pathetic. He wouldn't be asking all the questions he asked if I just stopped being too scared of my mother to answer them. He wouldn't have to worry about leaving me on my own if I didn't pull such  _reckless_ stunts.  
  
Was it my attachment that drove me to pull him closer when he tried to pull himself off of me? Or was it that dream I had the night before? I always remembered my dreams so vividly, but this one...it was distant. And yet, almost unforgettable. I swear I saw someone...someone  _important_. Someone I was missing. Despite being sure I made him uncomfortable, he seemed more than happy to oblige me. And again, I suspect it's only because he felt responsible. I'm so terrible, taking advantage of him like this...  
  
_"Stay..."  
  
"...Ok. I won't leave you."  
  
_Those words were all I wanted to hear. Sometimes I wish I had heard them that day I nearly drowned myself for the second time. But right now, I felt fine. His hand is in mine and it's all I need from him to keep his promise to me. My Zubat was perched on my shoulder, and his Torracat followed us on foot. As we veered off of Route 7 and passed a sign that read "Wela Volcano Park", he looked back at me. "It's not too far now. If you're too scared, you can wait down here if you want," he offered. The idea of separating from him was horrifying. And I knew I'd have to once we reached the top anyways.  
  
But still, I wanted to keep him to myself for as long as possible. I shook my head as I squeezed his hand to get my point across. "N-No...I'll follow you all the way up. I-I'm not scared," I lied. I was indeed scared. But I was more frightened by the prospect of losing him. He seemed to understand, however. "That's ok. You can hold onto me the whole way up if you need to. Don't worry, it won't erupt. It's more of an... _inactive_ volcano," he reassured me. I didn't respond, I only nodded and continued following him as we began passing through dry, dead grass.  
  
His Torracat appeared invigorated by the hot climate surrounding the area. It made sense, being a Fire Type, after all. Despite my hoodie only making the heat worse, I wouldn't dare take it off. I was more anxious than ever of Aether spotting me. I still don't know why they were lurking around the hotel. Nor why they left. I can only assume someone squealed. I should've expected as much. My pokémon all tried their best to keep me calm. Even after Hau had left, I didn't  _dare_ let Null out for fear of them finding him. All I could do was lie in wait. And it paid off.  
  
Or at least...it would have, if I weren't such a reckless buffoon.  
  
"Hey, Hanini?"  
  
I was pulled out of my thoughts as I heard him call for me. I looked up. I had hoped that was the first time. "S-Sorry...did you say something?" I asked. He smiled at me. When did his smile become so breath-taking? "Do you wanna take the lead on this one?" he asked. I blinked. Take the lead? But I'm not as experienced as  _he_ is. "I-I donno...are you sure that's a good idea?" I asked. He nodded, glancing at my Zubat. "Might be good for you to get some training in for your pokémon. And you're getting really good. I'll be here if you need help," he insisted.  
  
I glanced at my Zubat as well. That  _was_ true. After all, I couldn't clutch to Hau forever. I froze at the thought. I've known this since we first began our journey...why does it suddenly hurt? His plan to keep running didn't seem like such a bad idea anymore now. Why? I know I can't keep frolicking around on the islands.  _But_...I shook my head. "W-Well, if you're sure I can do this..." I muttered. He nodded, looking to his Torracat expectantly. It stepped back, and my Zubat flew off my shoulders to be ready as we continued forward.   
  
I began to doubt there were any pokémon around here as we continued to make our way up to the top. All the grass was pale and nearly deceased if not entirely so. It peaked my curiosity that grass could even  _attempt_ to grow here. Alola was surely a majestic region. Suddenly, my Zubat swooped down towards the grass, screeching wildly. At first, I was bewildered, until a strange pokémon leapt out of the grass and collided with Zubat. Being much smaller, my Zubat was knocked back as the pokémon landed on the dirt ground of the volcano.  
  
It was small and plump with a large white spot over it's stomach. It's face was masked by a strange-looking skull that only allowed us to see it's deep black eyes. In one of it's hands was a club-like bone. This was one of the few pokémon I recognized from my parents' rescues. A Cubone. I turned to my Zubat, "Zubat! Are you alright?!" It screeched at me, heading back into the fray. Miraculously, I understood it perfectly without needing words. Perhaps it was all the time I had spent with these pokémon that allowed me to resonate with them.  
  
"I've never seen that one before!" Hau gasped. It only slightly surprised, but of course, he couldn't know them all. "I recognize it. It's a Cubone. From what I remember, I think it's a Ground Type," I explained. He gave me an odd look. As if suddenly I was speaking backwards. I was about to ask what was wrong when he answered my question without prompt. "Wow, you actually knew something I didn't! That's pretty cool, how'd ya know that?" he asked, grinning as he put his hands behind his head and leaned back laxly.  
  
"I used to go to the Conservation Area back home sometimes. This was one of the few rescues I remember."  
  
"Oh yeah. The Aether Foundation rescues all sorts of pokémon on the islands."  
  
"At least  _that_ hasn't changed..." I muttered. I tightened my grip on my bag strap. I had to focus. "Zubat! Use Confuse Ray!" I ordered. Firing a strangely colored ray out of it's mouth, it hit the Cubone dead on between the eyes. The hostile pokémon began stumbling clumsily as it tried to focus on it's target and failed. It threw it's bone into the air, trying to hit the Zubat but failing. Hau flinched as it came towards him, but his Torracat jumped back and knocked the bone back towards the Cubone. The bone landed by it's feet and I sweat a bit.  
  
"H-Hau, are you alright?!" I yelped. He nodded, chuckling nervously as he stepped more off to the side. "I-I'm good...maybe I shouldn't stand so close," he assured. I had no argument to this. The safer he was, the better. I returned my attention to my opponent as I gave my pokémon it's next order. "Knock it down with Wing Attack!" I commanded. Zubat swooped down, whacking the Cubone with it's wings and knocking it over onto it's back. The Cubone cried out in pain, slowly pulling itself back up. It shook it's head frantically, and it's dizzied eyes steadied.  
  
_Shit..._ I thought. The wild pokémon picked it's bone up off the ground, jumping up into the air and whacking Zubat with it. However, it didn't leave so much as a bruise. As it jumped back down on the ground, it seemed to panic. I raised a brow at this. "It...didn't do anything?" I pondered aloud. Hau's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he turned his head to look at me again, "Th-that means Zubat is immune to that move! It must be a type that Zubat's not affected by! Do you know what type that move is?"  
  
I thought long and hard about the answer to that. Then, it hit me. "Zubat...you're immune to Ground Types?" I said. It wasn't really a question. More of a realization. It screeched back at me in response. I smirked. We had this in the bag. "Astonish!" I shouted. Swooping down at the sweating Cubone again, Zubat screeched loudly and startled it as it was knocked back again. I could see it flinch at the last second. It looked fairly beaten up now. One more hit would do it. "Zubat, Bite it!" I ordered. As it bit down into the Cubone's skin, the wild pokémon fell over.  
  
It was completely exhausted and unable to fight back. It's eyes swirled as it fainted. Zubat pulled off the unconscious pokémon, screeching victoriously. Suddenly, Hau hugged my arm as he laughed. My face heat up at the contact, but I didn't push him off. "Told ya!" he teased. Our attentions were brought back towards Zubat as we noticed a bright light out of the corners of our eyes. Hau squinted at it, tilting his head slightly to try and make out what it was. I could tell right away, however. My Zubat was...evolving?!  
  
It's form shifted, it's tail shrinking and changing into small feet that hung off of it. It's wings grew wider and larger, much like the rest of it's body. It's ears shrunk as well. After it's form ceased it's transformation, the glow faded. Where once it's face was void of eyes, it now had 2 brand new eyeballs. However, most of it's body was taking up by it's gaping maw of a mouth. It still seemed unable to close it. Hau's eyes sparkled with awe. If I weren't so distracted by my pokémon's new form, I might've been mesmerized by it.  
  
"Wow Hanini! It evolved into a Golbat!"  
  
" _Gol_ bat?"  
  
He nodded, "Mmhm!"  
  
As my newly evolved Golbat approached again, I held out my arm. My shoulder no longer had room for it. It perched upon my arm and I gently scratched it's cheek. It screeched pleasurably, nuzzling against my face. I couldn't help but chuckle, petting it in an attempt to satisfy it. "Ok, ok! Down, girl," I cooed. It complied, flapping it's wings and returning to the skies eagerly. The rest of the trip up the volcano was mostly a breeze, any other wild pokémon that came out were easily defeated thanks to Golbat's newfound strength.  
  
Once we reached the entrance, we found Moon awaiting our arrival patiently. As soon as she saw me, she eyed me up worriedly until she caught sight of my Golbat. "Woah...! Nice Golbat, sunshine," she praised. Hau nodded, "He just evolved it on the way up! I wanted to let him get some training in. I hope you don't mind." She shook her head, putting a hand on her hip. She raised a brow at him expectantly. "So...What do you got for me?" she asked. I tilted my head at this. I wasn't quite sure what she was talking about, but whatever it was, it made Hau sweat nervously.  
  
"I-It's not my place to say, Moon..."  
  
" _Hau_!"  
  
"Moon, not now. When we're inside, ok?"  
  
Suddenly, it hit me. Of course. I hadn't told Moon anything I had told Hau yet. I put a hand up to defuse the quarrel. "N-No, it's...it's alright. I'll tell her," I insisted. He gave me a worried look. "Are you sure, Hanini? It really upset you..." he muttered. Even now he was worried about upsetting me. Why did he have to be so unbearably kind to me...? I really don't deserve it. "I'm over it, really. I don't need her approval. Not when I've got  _yours_ ," I said. I blushed as soon as the words left my lips. Did I really just say that out loud?  
  
He blushed and blinked at me, but he didn't respond. Moon raised a brow at me instead, "Well?" I sighed, "Whatever it is your thinking is probably right, but...the president is my mother. She's both Lillie and I's mother." Her eyes widened. She put a hand over her mouth as if the revelation disgusted her. She shook her head, taking her hand off her face quickly. "Holy shit. I...I mean I figured, but...just hearing it sounds a lot worse now after everything she said to us," she sighed. She seemed exasperated, and that was just the start of it.  
  
"Did she tell you anything about her research about Ultra Space?"  
  
"Yeah...she said she was planning an expedition. She wanted to go find some alien creatures called Ultra Beasts."  
  
"Type:Null was made to help her capture them. I found out she authorized their torture, so I stole them. There used to be 2 others, but they ended up left behind."  
  
"And...your father-"  
  
"He was working with her on it when it happened. I don't know specifics, I just know it was an accident."  
  
She ran a hand through her long hair. She shook her head, "I...I see. But, one more thing still doesn't make sense." I didn't even have to ask. I sighed again, "The boat, right? When Hau didn't come home by dinner I went to investigate. I was told you were both seen being escorted out by Faba and I thought you were kidnapped. So I grabbed the boat and I was  _going_ to sail out of Alola...but then I decided to try to rescue you two instead." Hau nodded, leaning forward and taking the lead, "He crashed it after he hit bad waters."  
  
She took a deep breath as she began to process the information. I could tell, practically able to hear the gears turning in her head. Then, she gave me a strained smile. "You  _still_ owe me," she said, turning away towards the entrance. I nodded, smiling nervously. I knew she wasn't entirely being serious. Hau squeezed my hand to gain my attention, and I answered the call as I turned my head to look at him. He wasn't smiling anymore, he looked worried. Just like he did the day before when he had first found me.  
  
"I know you're still nervous...but do you think you could wait for me?"  
  
It was already time to separate, and yet it was suddenly difficult. Why? Why was this so hard? It didn't hurt this much before. And it's not like he'd disappear forever again. He...he  _promised_  me he wouldn't. Sure, he had broken his promise the other day, but that was no fault of his own. I trusted him. I squeezed back. I couldn't help but let my worry show. "I'll wait. I don't wanna keep you. Go ahead..." I muttered. He smiled at me. Arceus, that smile...it never failed to make me warm. And my flushed face only got worse as he brushed my bangs aside.  
  
"I won't be long. When I get back, we'll stop at the motel on Route 8 for the day. Then we can just relax."  
  
Words had completely failed me. I just nodded. As soon as he pulled himself off of me, I felt cold. As they entered the trial grounds, I was alone again. I sighed aloud. I felt stronger standing beside him, but in his hands I was like putty. It didn't make any sense. It had to mean  _something_ , didn't it? I pulled his tea out of my satchel. I needed something to clear my head. As I took a sip, my Golbat screeched at me to get my attention. It began flying around me, and it seemed antsy. I blinked, then I realized what it was trying to say.  
  
I smiled, pulling out my other pokéballs and releasing my other pokémon save for Null to get some air. They immediately became entranced with Golbat's new form. Even my Eevee seemed excited by it. An idea came to me as I observed they were all quite restless. I looked among them, snapping my fingers to get their attention. They immediately composed themselves, turning their attention up to me. I crossed my arms, smirking with amusement. Despite Hau's promise, I knew he'd take an hour or 2. And what better way to kill time?  
  
"Let's get some training in...shall we?"

* * *

  
Rockruff and Zorua were still wrestling, covered in scratches and dirt from rolling around. My Eevee had already long since sat out the antics. It laid in my lap, watching the pair with a disapproving look. As the days passed, it seemed to develop even more of a prideful and snooty personality. Of course, it's deadpan demeanor would always outweigh that by a long shot. Regardless, it was incredibly attached to me. I was so occupied with watching the children rolling around with each other I hadn't noticed the foot steps approaching from the entrance to the trial grounds.  
  
"Hey! Sunshine! Wake up, it's 1 o' clock!"  
  
I looked up to the sound of Moon lecturing me. Her and Hau were stood there once again. I stood up as my Eevee hopped out of my lap. "O-Oh! Sorry, I was helping them train," I sputtered. Hau's look turned sheepish at the condition of Rockruff and Zorua. "G-Geez. They don't mess around, huh? Do you need some potions?" he asked. I shook my head, looking to my Golbat in a silent command to break them apart. I looked to Hau and Moon again, covering my ears and nodding to them. They understood perfectly and mimicked my movement, as did my Eevee.  
  
Golbat let out a loud screech that rattled the pair hard enough to make them break apart. Once the screech was over, we all took our hands off of our heads. I scooped up my Zorua first, still stumbling and dazed. I got to work quickly, spraying it's wounds and feeding it a pokébean to compensate for the loud noise I forced it to endure. I repeated this process with Rockruff as well, before going on to heal my other 2 pokémon's wounds from their own sparring. Once everyone was healthy, I called them all back, save for Golbat.  
  
Once I turned around, Hau was just a few inches away from me. Grinning a toothy grin, he held up a red crystal with a flame symbol embedded in it. "Check it out! We passed!" he beamed. I smiled at him as I took his hand. I had already gone long enough without the assurance of his presence. "Just like I knew you would," I congratulated. Moon stretched her arms out tiredly, "Well, I'll catch up with you guys later. I'm gonna head back to Royal Avenue for a bit. I need to go stock up. That trial took a lot out of my team."  
  
Hau waved as she departed. Golbat and Torracat bounded for the exit as well, prompting Hau and I to follow. Once we reached the bottom again, we approached the barricade in front of a long tunnel. As Hau flashed his Z-Crystal and his amulet, we were allowed to proceed. I wasn't too scared by the dim tunnel. I was moreso un-nerved by the sounds of footsteps that had no owner around us as we proceeded forward. Luckily, nothing in particular came of it as we came out on the other side. I accidentally let out a sigh of relief that caught Hau's attention.  
  
"Oh geez, were you scared of the Kecleon in there?"  
  
"No, I was- ...The what?"  
  
"Oh right, you probably don't know. Kecleon is a pokémon that can use camoflauge to blend into the environment. They usually crawl around in real damp and dark areas like that tunnel. That's all that noise you heard."  
  
"Is that so? Then...I guess I was. A little..."  
  
Suddenly, Hau pulled away from me as he seemed to notice something. I gasped aloud in slight panic as I chased after him. "H-Hau slow down, where are you going?!" I called. I became a bit nervous as we passed a white caravan sporting the Aether insignia. I tried to catch up to him faster, "Hau wait!" Suddenly he stopped, and I did the same. I was too busy catching my breath to notice what it was that stopped him in his tracks. As soon as I caught it, I was about to look up, when I heard a sickeningly familiar voice...  
  
"And just where do you think  _you're_ going in such a hurry?"  
  
I froze into place. For a moment, I'm fairly sure I'd forgotten how to breathe, but whether or not that was from my exhaustion was up to debate. I looked up...and saw her. She was covered head to toe in black and her hair cut and make up made her nearly almost impossible to recognize. But I knew her face, I knew her eyes. There's was no doubt about it. Up until now, even despite hearing it from Moon's mouth, I wanted to believe it couldn't be true. But it was. It always was. I whispered quietly, but nobody seemed to hear me.  
  
"Lillie..."   
  
Hau raised a brow at her, he seemed curious, but also confused. I could tell it wasn't quite hitting him yet. I couldn't blame him. Perhaps he was like me. That, or he had just plain forgotten. It was hard to tell. After all, she had told him about her when he still had a severe concussion. It's possible he was just struggling to remember. But still, he was no fool. He had proven that already. The medallion around her neck spoke all about who she was with. But who she  _was_...  
  
"Um...hello? I'm gonna guess you're not here for  _friendly_ competition judging from that necklace you got on. Unless that's just some kind of fancy pendant you found laying around," he deduced. He was getting smarter. Though whether or not that was a good thing was something I was unable to stop debating with myself. She flipped back her hair needlessly as she pulled out a pokéball. I don't know if she just didn't notice me or my hood was doing as much to conceal me as her make up was for her.  
  
"You're Kahuna Hala's grandkid, aren't you? I've heard a lot of things about  _you_. It's real simple. Give me your pokémon and I won't pummel you into a fine paste," she threatened. This...wasn't like her. Why was she acting like this? Why was she with the Skull Gang?! Even though she was angry at me, angry at our mother, what benefit did doing these things present to her? Was she frustrated by how weak she was like I was? Or did she truly change? No...there's no way. She was just angry. I wouldn't believe that! I stepped forward, pulling Hau back by his arm.  
  
"Hau, get back!"  
  
He stared at me in bewilderment. Lillie eyed me up curiously and this look didn't escape me. I took a deep breath, stepping forward and pulling off my hood. Her eyes grew wide, and Hau was left completely confused. However, his confusion died as I called out to her, "Lillie,  _stop_! Don't hurt him. I-It's me you want, right?" Slowly, she scowled at me with such ferocity it made my nerves shoot up sky high. Hau was left speechless as he finally realized what was happening. She growled with irritation, I've never seen her so furious before...it was horrifying.  
  
" _YOU_...!"  
  
"Lillie, please. Don't do this!"  
  
" _YOU'RE_ DEMANDING THINGS OF  _ME_?! You have  _some_ nerve, Gladion!"  
  
"Sis, please, you don't have to-"  
  
" _Don't_  call me that! You're  _not_ my brother! You're a backstabbing bastard!"  
  
I flinched back as I winced. When had she become so vulgar? This couldn't be the same shy sister I remembered. It just  _couldn't_! And yet my beliefs were betrayed by my eyes. "L-Lillie...what's happened to you?" I asked. She smirked, as if she was hoping I would ask. She crossed her arms as she looked down on me with condescending eyes. "Only the best thing of my life. You like my shiny new clothes? The Skull Gang decided to help me out. How's it feel knowing a bunch of criminals were more reliable than  _you_?" she snarked.  
  
Something about her new attitude reminded me vaguely of Moon. Only now, it was much nastier. More scathing. I...I had done this. I had made her into this  _monster_. I had to fix this. I had to explain myself, apologize. Something,  _anything_! "Lillie...I  _swear_ , I...I thought you'd be ok! Mother never laid a hand on you! No matter what, she always loved you the most!" I exclaimed. My answer made her rage rise out of her again. She screamed at me, "YOU DON'T NEED TO BE DAMAGED TO GET HURT, YOU DUMB ASS!"  
  
I took a step back. However, I was caught off-guard as her glare softened into a look of hurt and fear. For a moment, her walls seemed to crumble. "I was suffering the same as you were...I thought we were in this  _together_ ," she whimpered. It broke my heart above all else. Her rage hurt, but hearing her close to tears was too much. I had made a grave,  _horrible_ mistake. How could I let her go on thinking this way? She was right, we were supposed to be in this together. She was my sister, my  _little_ sister. I was supposed to protect her!  
  
"We  _are_!"  
  
"STOP  _LYING_ TO ME! You left me  _behind_! And  _don't_ tell me you were gonna come back for me! You and I both know you're too much of a coward!"  
  
I couldn't think of a way to prove her wrong, to sway her. She was just right. There was no other way to cut it. As I looked over her again, suddenly, I noticed something. Something that made me freeze once again. Something I can't believe I hadn't noticed before. Beside her was a large pink pokémon with familiar looking horns and hair. It was a long shot...it seemed impossible. I couldn't even begin to wrap my head around the how, the why, or even the when. As I reached an arm out towards it, I hesitantly bit.  
  
"...That...Clefairy..."  
  
Lillie glared at me, as did the pokémon beside her. I flinched as I stopped myself. "You don't even  _recognize_ your  _own_ pokémon, Gladion?! You  _disgust_  me!" she spat. Everything around me seemed to tumble down as I realized who it was. I felt sick to my stomach. No...Arceus, no! The familiar name that once held love and care now held sadness and despair as it left my lips. "C-Cleffy...oh gods..." I whispered. Hau gasped, putting a hand over his mouth as he heard me. I began shaking as tears came to my eyes.  
  
"You left her behind...just like you left  _me_ behind! She had nobody to turn to but  _me_...!" Lillie hissed. I didn't have any words. There was nothing I could say. Nothing I could say was good enough to make up for the pain I caused Cleffy. And yet still, I had to say _something_. Maybe some part of me still wanted to believe I could fix things. "Cleffy...I-I'm sorry. I never meant to...I-I..." I couldn't even bring myself to finish. My tears escaped my eyes as they rolled down my cheeks. I bit my lower lip.  
  
"Gladion..." Hau whispered. Right now more than ever, I knew he pitied me. I noticed as I looked up again, Cleffy was glaring at me. It had the same look of vulgar hate in it's eyes as Lillie did. I clutched at my chest. "Please...don't look at me like that," I begged. I looked truly pathetic. Lillie sneered at me with annoyance. I could tell she was disgusted with me to my core. And it was  _unbearable_. "She's not yours anymore, Gladion. She belongs to  _me_ now. You forfeited her when you left her in mother's grubby hands," she declared.  
  
Mother...? I left her with mother? No! Of all people! What's  _wrong_ with me?! Then, my head became clear as I remembered why we were all even standing here. I stopped shaking, as I wiped my own tears away. I glared back at her. A reaction she wasn't expecting as her brows raised in confusion. If kindness would not get through to her, then, "...I won't let you do this, Lillie. You can't keep hurting others! Do you seriously think the Skull Gang  _cares_  about you?! They're  _criminals_ , Lillie! When you've served your usefulness they'll just cut you loose!"  
  
"So what? I'm only working for them to get strong enough to face mother. In this life, you either  _make_  it or you  _break_  it. And I'm  _making_ it.  _You_   _broke_ , and ran away like the coward you are! I've at least been  _trying_ to face my fears! Guzma...he's been so kind to me. He's taught me things...things I'll never forget. But most of all, I know I'm not just some grunt to him! He's been more of a family to me than you and mother  _ever_ were!"  
  
She was lost. The sister I knew, the sweet and innocent young girl that used to look up to me with bright eyes and peaceful intentions. She was dead. And in her place was this vengeful monster. I straightened myself up as I stared her down sternly. For once, at least, I could do something to make up for my mistakes. "...Hau,  _run_ ," I ordered. I knew it'd be too dangerous for him to stay here. He had to go. Go far and get to safety. But to my expectations, he objected. "What?! I can't just leave you here!" he yelped.  
  
"I have to do this. I'm sorry that she's been so much trouble until now...but I'll take care of this."  
  
"No way! You heard what she said, she's been trained by Guzma himself! She  _must_  be crazy strong! You're no where near strong enough to take her on, let alone beat her!"  
  
"I  _WON'T_ LET YOU GET HURT!!!"  
  
As soon as I said it, he had all but fallen silent. I was still fighting my tears. I didn't want to cry anymore. I wanted to be strong, like him. I crossed my arms, grabbing at my skin as I gave a sheepish look. I winced, closing my eyes tightly as I hesitated. Dare I even say it? Do I dare to allow myself to get so close to him? And yet it was easier to want to reach out than it was to need to push him away. But that's just what she wants, isn't it? She wants me to push others away. She wants me to isolate myself. Torture myself  _for_ her. No...I  _refuse_. He's  _my_ companion.   
  
My...  
  
"...You're...my  _friend_."  
  
His eyes widened. I couldn't even begin to imagine what might've been going through his head. I could see him reach his arm out to me out of the corner of my eye. I wouldn't let him do this, "I care about you. So I'm doing this to protect you. I need you to trust me... _please_." I didn't know how else to convince him. There were no words, no order of saying them that could. I wish I could just apologize for putting him through all this up to this point. My face lit up brightly as I felt him grab my hand. I turned my head to look at him. His eyes...I couldn't look away.  
  
"I'm sorry, Gladion...but you're my friend  _too_. Which means I also have to protect  _you_. So I'm  _not_  leaving you."  
  
I was left defenseless by his words yet again. Was this what I had been missing all these years? I didn't want to give it up. Not for anything. I squeezed his hand tightly. I was lost in his dark eyes. Why was it so hard to look away from them? "...Then stay out of it. I don't want you to get your pokemon hurt for me," I insisted, firmly. If he had to stay, if he had to be here beside me, I would at least spare his pokémon. I would not drag his companions into this, certainly. He didn't seem to want to accept these terms, but after a long silence he nodded.  
  
"A-Alright. I promise. Be careful, Gladion," he begged. His eyes gleamed as they glazed over. I gave him a smile to comfort him. His eyes widened a bit at this, as he gasped lightly. I longed for him to always look at me that way. As if I was the brightest star in the night's sky. "I'll certainly try..." I reassured. Slowly, he let go of my hand and stepped back. I turned back to look at my sister who was tapping her foot impatiently. I could tell she wasn't amused with being ignored for so long so suddenly.  
  
I pointed at Lillie as I called out to my Golbat, "Golbat, let's go!" It screeched angrily, having been agitated by my distress. Lillie flipped her hair back needlessly again as she pointed to my Golbat. "Cleffy, now's your chance. Let's do this," she directed. Cleffy stepped forward to approach my Golbat, glaring daggers into my soul. It still hurt like hell, but I had to bury it. I need to focus up so I can face her properly. I shook my head to shake the creeping thoughts in my head.  
  
"Use Wing Attack!" I commanded. My Golbat swooped down from the skies, smacking Cleffy with it's wings as it dived into it. Cleffy growled irritably, rubbing at it's face which had a new scratch on it. Lillie smirked, "Put it to sleep with Sing!" I winced. I didn't have any sleeping remedies on me, and I knew Hau didn't have any either. My Golbat was helpless to the attack as it slowly fluttered down to the ground. "Kh..." I grunted, unable to hide my frustration.  
  
"Awww, how cute. It got all tired. Why don't we help it up, Cleffy~? Wake-Up Slap!" she snarked. My eyes widened and I stepped back. She was waking it back up? As Cleffy slapped my Golbat, it was sent flying into the air. It managed to steady itself, but the attack seemed to do scathing damage to it. It screeched angrily, irritated with being jerked around. I turned my attention back to my sister after checking on Golbat's condition. "What was that? What did you do?!" I demanded.  
  
"True as it is your Golbat resists Fighting Type moves, Wake-Up Slap does  _double_ the damage when our target is sound asleep."  
  
"That's why...you put it to sleep just to wake it up again."  
  
"Bingo, Gladion. Guess you're not as slow as I thought you were."  
  
_Fine sis...you wanna play dirty? Let's play_ I thought. I called out to my Golbat, narrowing my eyes at Lillie as I glared. "Golbat, rattle Clefairy's senses with Confuse Ray!" I commanded. My Golbat locked eyes with Cleffy, shooting a ray out of it's mouth and hitting Cleffy between the eyes. They began spinning around as it wobbled. It was completely disoriented. My sister growled lowly. Taking out Cleffy's pokéball, she called Cleffy back into it's ball to my surprise. I winced as I noticed the faded paint on it.  
  
She put it back in her dufflebag, pulling out a strange green ball with small patterns on it. As she called out her next pokémon, a purple cat-like creature emerged from the light. Hau's eyes lit up as he recognized it, "It's an Espeon! That's one of Eevee's evolutions!" I raised a brow at this. If that was so, that meant she too had an Eevee at one point. Did she catch it or did the Skull Gang give it to her? I shook my head. It didn't matter. I was un-nerved by her confident smirk.   
  
"Sorry, Gladion...it's game over. Espeon! Psybeam!" she commanded. My eyes widened.  _Shit! It's a Psychic Type!_ I panicked. I looked to my Golbat frantically, "Golbat, dodge it, quick!" Unfortunately, it wasn't able to escape the beam that hit it and knocked it back onto the ground. The attack damaged it horribly, and it was severely scratched and bruised up now. Miraculously, however, it managed to pull itself up onto it's feet. It couldn't fly anymore, but it didn't matter either way. It's eyes were spinning with confusion.  
  
I gasped aloud, "Golbat!" Lillie giggled with cruel mockery. " _Well_ , I had  _hoped_ that it would take it out, but I guess it'd be much more poetic if it ends up being it's own demise~!" she snarked. Again, I had no materials at my disposal to cure this ailment. I cursed under my breath at this. I knew there was no point in pulling it back now. I just prayed deep down it would snap out of it or just hit it's target out of blind luck. "G-Golbat, Astonish!" I ordered.  
  
I regret it almost instantly, as Golbat confusedly tried to attack it's target. However, it accidentally smacked itself with it's own wing and knocked itself out. Lillie and her Espeon both snickered in amusement. I called Golbat back, quietly whispering an apology before I fished another pokéball from my bag. Despite losing Golbat, I was thankful to the opportunity to learn Espeon's biggest weakness. I tossed the ball into the air, calling upon my companion pokémon.  
  
"Zorua, come on out!"  
  
Zorua landed on the ground safely as it jumped out of the ball through the light. It barked at the Espeon, smirking smugly. Lillie raised a brow. "Zorua...? What the hell pokémon is  _that_?" she asked. I didn't bother answering her. There wasn't a point in making small talk. And I wouldn't humor her. Right now, all I had to do was win. "Zorua, use Feint Attack to knock it down!" I commanded. Zorua darted forward, it's body flickering until it finally disappeared. Espeon looked around frantically, but found nothing.  
  
Then, suddenly, it was knocked back by a strong, unseen force. Just as I anticipated, the damage was significant. Zorua jumped back into position as it flickered back into view. "Wh-what the...?!" Lillie gasped. She growled at me. Pointing at my Zorua, she repeated her previous command, "Psybeam again!" The Espeon shot another colorful beam into Zorua, but it wasn't even scathed by it. Her eyes widened as she took a step back. "It's immune...?!" she snapped.  
  
"You should spend less time mocking me and more time focusing on your target, Lillie. Zorua, use Pursuit!"  
  
"Oh no you don't! Espeon, return! Cleffy, come back out!"  
  
As Lillie switched out her pokémon, Zorua continued on in it's attack. I smirked. Perfect, she did exactly as I thought she would. Once the attack landed on Cleffy, it was knocked onto it's back with considerable force. I could tell she was only getting more and more agitated with every pull I had over her. "Quit acting so smug you jack ass!" she demanded. I'm not sure when this battle had stopped being so tense, but my adrenaline suddenly allowed me to be able to remain calm enough to enjoy myself.  
  
I mimicked the pose I had created during my Battle Royal match as I put it over my face. I narrowed my eyes at her, "You first." Her face flushed as she pouted. Pointing at my Zorua angrily, she yelled out her next order, "Cleffy, put it out with Sing!" I sweat a bit, my smirk fading. Despite being a bit nervous to her strategy, I knew I at least had Cleffy down enough to not have to worry about Zorua's disadvantage. Zorua was powerless to the sound of Cleffy's sweet lullaby as it fell asleep.  
  
I winced as the inevitable came and Cleffy slapped it awake again, knocking back towards my feet. It pulled itself up, now scratched up significantly. It looked up at me. I could see a glint of determination in it's eyes. I nodded at it. "Fury Swipes, give it everything you've got!" I ordered. Zorua's claws grew out as it pounced forward, scratching at it over and over. It landed 5 swipes before it suddenly stumbled back and blinked blankly. Then, it's ears folded back as it began to drool and swoon.  
  
I raised a brow at this, "Zorua...? Are you ok?" Lillie smirked again, "Oh, he's more than ok. He's head over heels!" My eyes widened at this. How was that even possible? Did something happen when Zorua touched Cleffy? I didn't notice anything. "It's her Special Ability. When a pokémon of the opposite gender to Cleffy touches her, they fall hopelessly in love with her!" she explained. I began to panic again. I had no idea how to even  _begin_ to treat this. I wondered if perhaps it would wear off if I call it back.  
  
But I didn't get the chance as Lillie attacked it again. "Now, take it out with Magical Leaf!" she commanded. Cleffy held up it's arms as an array of glowing leaves were willed towards it. Then as it threw it's arms forward, Zorua was hit with an onslaught of sharp leaves. Despite it's best efforts to resist the damage, it was unable to stand after the attack ended. It stumbled over, it's eyes swirling with it's defeat. I bit my lower lip with yet another loss. Then, I remembered something vital.  
  
Calling back my Zorua, I pulled out my Great Ball to call out my Rockruff. Once it was on the field, I got to work. "Howl!" I ordered. Rockruff howled loudly, a red aura enveloping it before fading away quickly. Lillie rolled her eyes, putting a hand on her hip. "It's pointless, Gladion. It's obvious you don't have anything that can stand up to my team. Cleffy, Sing, again!" she shouted. Cleffy began singing again, however, Rockruff was unaffected by the sound, catching both Lillie and Cleffy off-guard.  
  
"H-Huh? Why isn't it working?!"  
  
"Vital Spirit. You can't put him to sleep, I'm afraid. Your strategy is completely destroyed."  
  
She growled in irritation. " _Fine_! We have  _other_ ways to throw you off-track! Cleffy, confuse it with Sweet Kiss!" she shouted. I glared her down. I wouldn't let her get far. "Rock Throw, quickly!" I commanded. Rockruff jumped up, a large rock manifesting in the air. It knocked the rock down into Cleffy with it's tail, knocking it flat onto it's back with a loud crash. Lillie gasped. She looked down and her eyes widened. As my Rockruff landed, I realized why she was so stricken with shock.  
  
Rockruff had taken Cleffy out completely. She winced. She seemed to hesitate as she called Cleffy back into it's ball. Deep down, the victory felt incredibly hollow even for me. All I had done was make things worse. My victory wouldn't make Cleffy forgive me. It would just hate me more. Still, I had to think about Hau now. I can't tolerate anyone that threatens him. Throwing out a Nest Ball, she called for her next pokémon. "Fomantis, you're up!" she declared.  
  
Rockruff growled anxiously. Something about this pokémon seemed to un-nerve it. I shook the feeling off. "Rockruff, Bite it!" I ordered. Rockruff's fangs sharpened as it darted forward. Lillie smirked a disturbing smirk that sent a chill down my spine. " _Leaf Blade_..." she commanded under her breath. Suddenly, a green sword with the texture of a leaf manifested in the small pokémon's claws. Pouncing forward to meet my Rockruff halfway, it swung the blade into Rockruff and knocked it back towards my feet.  
  
It yelped in pain as it rolled back towards me. Once it was stopped as it hit my sneakers, I could see it's eyes were swirled. I gasped and Hau cried out in shock. "I-It was an instant KO?!" he yipped. I bit my lower lip again. I'm almost down for the count here, and I can't pull Null out either. Not with that Aether caravan so close to us. I called Rockruff back, hesitantly pulling out the only other pokéball I had left. Throwing it up into the air, I called it out with great hesitation.  
  
"Eevee, come to my aid!"  
  
Eevee hopped out, it's bangs falling over it's eyes obstructively. Still, it seemed to be able to pin down it's target just fine. Lillie smirked bemusingly, "How pathetic...you have an Eevee and you haven't even evolved it yet. Are you even  _trying_ to be a trainer, Gladion? Seems like you're not taking it very seriously." I winced. I couldn't let her words get to me. Despite being on edge, I had to keep my head up. As long as I had a pokémon standing, there was still a chance...right?  
  
"Razor Leaf!"  
  
"Baby-Doll Eyes!"  
  
Fomantis sweat a bit as the Eevee tilted it's head to move it's bangs out of it's eyes. It's bulbous, ceaseless, agonizing stare un-nerved the Fomantis immensely. As it summoned an onslaught of leaves, the attack did a bit less damage than Lillie had hoped to achieve. She scowled, "You're only delaying the inevitable, Gladion." Sweat bead down my face as these words sunk in. Was I really...? No, there was still a chance! Don't think that way, don't let her into your head!  
  
"Fine then, if you wanna play games. Fomantis, Ingrain!" she ordered. The Fomantis glowed as an array of roots grew at it's feet and surrounded it. Nothing seemed to happen, and I began to wonder if perhaps it was a set up. I wasn't sure. I shook my head. I had to do something soon or I'd just be wasting time. "Eevee, use Tackle!" My Eevee darted forward, knocking into Fomantis and bruising it a bit. It jumped back onto it's feet, glowing with a green aura as the bruise instantly healed.  
  
My eyes widened, and my look of shock seemed to amuse Lillie. "Sorry to burst your bubble, Gladion. But I believe we're  _done_ here," she declared. Her smile faded as she uttered her last order. "Fomantis! Finish this! Use Leaf Blade, give it everything you've got!" The blade that the small pokémon summoned was a bit bigger than the last. My Eevee took a step back nervously as it stared in fear at the blade. It wasn't able to dodge, frozen completely with fear.  
  
The attack hit, and it hit hard. I heard my Eevee cry out in pain as it was knocked backed towards me. Once again it slid to my feet. The attack instantly knocked it out. It's swirled eyes had told of my failure. My anxiety was through the roof all over again. I scooped up my Eevee as it groaned dizzily. It was scratched and bruised up severely. The most damaged I had ever seen it. After all, it didn't like to push itself much before now. Shakily, I called it back into it's ball. I...had  _lost_.  
  
Lillie scoffed at me, putting her hands on her hips again, "Pathetic...you're barely even  _worth_ the effort."  
  
The world around me started spinning. I tried to focus, but I just couldn't. I...I  _failed_? How could I have...I was supposed to protect him! I was supposed to be able to handle anyone that might hurt him. It can't just end like this! How...how did this happen? I took a step back, I couldn't help it as I began shaking and my breathing became ragged and rapid. In my own head I was screaming, begging to snap out of it. But my body didn't obey me. I was still a crying, sniveling,  _pathetic_ mess. She was right about me.  
  
Of course I failed...I'm still just as weak as I was when I escaped Lusamine's clutches. What made me think I could go against her? I could just barely handle the Skull Gang's low level grunts. She went toe-to-toe with Moon for Arceus sake! What the hell possessed me to be so foolish?! Hau could've handled everything just fine, couldn't he? It's not like I don't trust him to do it. So why did I even waste everyone's time? Was I trying to prove something? No...no it can't end like this! I have to do something!  
  
Her cruel, snide voice echoed through all the screaming and ringing in my ears, "What's the matter, big brother? You gonna cry in a corner like you  _always_ do?" I wasn't crying, I didn't know if I even could I was in so much shock. But I wanted to. I truly, sincerely wanted to just lie down and die right here. At least then all my problems would go away. Maybe Hau wouldn't have to be burdened with me anymore. Or Moon. If I just went away, all their problems...no...all  _my_ problems wouldn't be slowing them down. Putting them at risk.  
  
"Gladion!"  
  
Suddenly, I felt myself being turned around. He was...calling out to me. I knew he was there, inbetween my nonsensical delusions. Images, events, memories of all sorts began to repeat themselves as they did when I first held his hand. Things I had heard, things I had said, things I had done just kept repeating and making it harder and harder for me to focus on him. He was worried sick, I could hear it in his voice. Please, Arceus, just let me talk to him! I need to tell him I can hear him!  
  
"Gladion..." he muttered my name again. This time he seemed surprised by my reaction to my loss. However, it was quickly followed up with the obvious question I had expected. "Gladion what's wrong?!" he shrieked, desperate to wake me up. My body was way beyond listening to anything I wanted it to do at this point. I began muttering, the images still haunting my brain too much to answer him coherently. "No...no no no no no...! No...!" I repeated, shaking my head and backing away a couple steps.  
  
All I could see at this point was her image. That sickening, twisted image of Lusamine's cruel grin. And...was my hand...turning purple? Why did it hurt so much? Oh Arceus, what's happening to me? I gotta snap out of this! But try as I may, my internal screams were sucked away into the void of my thoughts. I had no control over myself. I could only pray that Hau would find some way to break me out of this trance like he always did. I felt like such a fool, why did he even bother with me anymore?!  
  
_"With your poor attitude, nobody would ever love_ ** _you_** _."_  
  
No...no that can't be true. I-It's just another lie. It's just something she used to brainwash me into servility. It had to be! Right? Hau cared about me, at least...he's been saying this whole time he wants to help me. That we're friends...I want to be that. I want to be his companion, no matter what. I want to do for him what he does for me. I haven't done enough to repay him and I have to make up for that. He truly does value me as a companion...right? Arceus, please...I don't want to be alone again!  
  
Suddenly, the images were skewed as I felt warm arms wrap around me. My sense of dread started to melt. I could hear him still, despite all the illusions, "Gladion, please! Calm down! Everything's ok!" My eyes went wide, as all the demented images and sounds flushed away. I was...back on Route 8. I looked down, and I saw Hau was...hugging me? My face...felt wet. When had I started crying? I...I don't remember. I was still shaking, as I contemplated returning the gesture.  
  
I definitely didn't want him to let go of me. I never felt more protected like this. For a brief moment, I had forgotten what had even made me so vulnerable to begin with. I kept on hesitating for a few long moments. I wasn't muttering anymore, just sobbing. I still wasn't quite in complete control of myself yet, but I could see it all was just hallucinations. Lusamine wasn't here, I was safe...with him. Then, my resolve had completely shattered. I couldn't take it anymore. I can't keep pushing him away.  
  
_I need him._  
  
Suddenly, I wrapped my arms around him and clutched to him tightly. I let out another loud sob as I breathed out heavily. I had completely given up resisting my attachment to him at this point. I wouldn't  _dare_ let go. Not now. "H-Hau...!" I breathed, still shaking from the overwhelming emotions that flowed through me. I didn't know how to stop myself from crying. Instead, I just tightened my grip. I could feel my cheeks heat up as they flushed. Somehow, all I could feel in this moment was...happiness.  
  
And he was the only one who could ever give that to me. My heart fluttered as I began to realize what I had been missing these past few days. I knew why now, what was driving me to act so irrationally. Before, it seemed like it was just a long shot. I had never had anything like this before. I didn't know the first thing about intimacy or romance. Even from watching my own parents growing up, I still had no idea. A question that had been wracking the back of my mind finally came to light as I realized all this.  
  
_Is this...what love feels like?_  
  
Suddenly, I was pulled back to what had just happened as my sister's irritated growl entered my ears. I was flabbergasted I could even forget that she was standing there. She looked  _furious_. "You're  _really_ starting to piss me off! If you guys aren't going to be serious about this then get out of the way!" she demanded. I don't even know what it was she wanted anymore. She had already broken me and gotten her revenge like she wanted, didn't she? What business could she even still have with Hau at this point?  
  
Suddenly, Moon stepped forward. I was starting to realize now that Hau and I weren't the only ones standing around here. Despite how much it felt that way just a few mere moments ago. Was I... _really_ that distracted? Moon glared hard at my sister, as her Brionne flopped in front of her defensively. "HEY! Leave them alone! You've done enough, haven't you?! You're just a bully!" Lillie's face contorted into a viscous scowl. I could tell that she was disgusted with what Moon said to her.  
  
"You don't know  _anything_!"  
  
My words to Burnet echoed in my ears as I momentarily began to sink back into my memories. She had the same resolve as I did. She was frustrated. She was hurt. She couldn't stand anyone who tried to downplay the things she'd suffered. I would've warned Moon to this, if I was not already struggling just to stop myself from shaking in Hau's arms. I was still sobbing, but I was staring like a Deerling in headlights at the scene that befell me. Things had spiraled out of control so fast. Faster, still.  
  
"I know that if you don't beat it, I'm gonna kick your ass!"  
  
"Is that a  _threat_?"  
  
"No. It's a  _promise_."  
  
Lillie glared back at her for a moment, before taking out another pokéball and gently pushing the button to increase it's size. She smirked a smug, snide smile that gave me chills. If not for Hau soothingly whispering to me, I might've gone back to hallucinating Lusamine's cold grin. "Perfect~" she chirped, almost sadistically. Dear Arceus...what have I let her become? This is all my fault! _I'm sorry Lillie..._ I thought as I continued weeping in Hau's arms. I wish I could've stopped her. I wish I could've stopped mother. I wish father was here to tell us what to do. I wish...I  _wish_...  
  
_I wish I could just run far away from here with **him**..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah what's this they _finally_ run into each other about damn time, Saucy >w>  
> Seriously tho Lillie calm the eff down, stop bein' such a meaniehead Gladion just wants to help ;w;
> 
> Btw yes I know all Zoruas have the ability Illusion, it's just too much of a pain in the ass to constantly write it that way.


	37. Chapter 36 - Maybe I'm To Blame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Moon catches up with the boys, she finds her rival Lillie terrorizing her two close friends. To defend them and protect Gladion, she challenges Lillie to a battle while Hau ushers Gladion to safety.

The trip lasted longer than she thought it would. Finally, she could understand her mother's obsession with coupons, discounts, and sales. She had spent so long getting lost in them she had to be pulled out of her trance by Rotom. Of course, as soon as she realized how much time she had wasted, she was quick to make way towards Route 8. She at least wanted to try finding a comfy-looking enough spot to sleep for the night. Her Brionne flopped beside her in mild panic, also realizing how much time they wasted.  
  
Once Moon came upon Route 8, she noticed an Aether Foundation caravan parked on the side of the road. It made her uneasy. Still, she had to continue forward. Rotom quietly theorized why they might be in this part of Akala. But she ignored it. As she continued down the road and past the caravan, she flinched as an explosion startled her and her pokémon. Even Rotom beeped in surprise. She looked up, and gasped in shock at the bewildering sight that beheld her.  
  
The first thing she noticed was Gladion. His hood was down, but why? Was it blown off by that explosion? He's far too close to that caravan to let himself be easily identifiable like that! She looked down as he bent down. She finally noticed the horribly injured Eevee he scooped up. He had a horrible look on his face. Despair, fear, loss...it was all reflected in his pupils. She glanced over and noticed Hau was watching behind him. He seemed entranced, and not in a good way either.   
  
He looked as distressed as the blonde. If not more so. She turned her head again, and noticed a small Fomantis stood across from Gladion and his Eevee. It seemed to be the perpetrator of the explosion. But she couldn't be sure. Finally, as she turned her head up at it's trainer, she froze. The familiar and irritating face of her rival, the very girl she had only learned afterwards was directly involved in this whole mess is what awaited her.  _Lillie?!_ she thought, confused at the whole spectacle.  
  
As she continued observing, she found that Gladion had already called his Eevee back into his ball. She could hear Lillie taunting him,  _mocking_ him. What was  _wrong_ with her?! Isn't he her brother? She should know more than anyone what he's been through, shouldn't she? Hau quickly got to work, comforting Gladion as he began having a full-blown panic attack. It seemed he was unable to tell reality from delusion. As she inched close enough to hear more clearly, she was shocked as Gladion reached back for once.  
  
"H-Hau...!"  
  
He was completely in tears. It was a state she had never seen him in before. His breathing was ragged, heavy, and shaky all at once. He clutched to the younger boy with such desperation. Almost as if he was afraid to let him go. Had he finally accepted that running away wouldn't get him as far as he thought? That he should let them help him? She couldn't even begin to theorize as Lillie's grating voice spat unprovoked cruelty.  
  
"You're really starting to piss me off! If you guys aren't going to be serious about this then get out of the way!"  
  
Gladion's head turned up to look at her. They were wide and full of shock. He seemed to be able to more easily process where he was now. But words still seemed to escape him. Moon scowled. As she stepped forward, the older boy's gaze turned to her as well, still seeming surprise by all that was unfolding before him. "HEY! Leave them alone! You've done enough, haven't you?! You're just a bully!" Moon shouted, her Brionne hopping in front of her defensively. Lillie's face contorted in disgust.  
  
"You don't know  _anything_!"  
  
"I  _know_ that if you don't beat it, I'm gonna kick your ass!"  
  
"Is that a  _threat_?"  
  
"No. It's a  _promise_."  
  
Lillie pulled out a pokéball, smirking with amusement as she pushed the button on it to increase it's size. "Perfect~" she teased. Moon winced. She didn't even glance towards her friends as she spoke, "Hau, take Gladion and get out of here. I don't know what's going on but I don't think he should stay here any longer." Hau nodded in agreement before whispering something into Gladion's ear and pulling his hood back up over his face. He hesitated, before finally ceasing his grip on the younger boy to take his hand.  
  
Moon and the boys exchanged a single look before they darted ahead, past Lillie. The girl shot her sniveling brother another nasty glare that made him flinch and look away as his grip on Hau's hand become tighter. She turned her attention back to Moon quickly as she huffed, "No matter. I already got what I wanted out of  _him_. Now it's  _your_ turn to pay for  _humiliating_ me." Moon rolled her eyes, "You humiliated  _yourself_. I was just trying to get it through your skull how incompetent you are."  
  
"Enjoy your gloating while you still can,  _punk_ ," she hissed. "Fomantis, start off with Ingrain!" she ordered. A plethora of roots began to grow at the tiny pokémon's feet. Rotom beeped anxiously at this move. "Oh dear! It looks like any damage you do will be instantly healed!" he exclaimed. Moon grunted in annoyance, but she didn't let this deter her. "Brionne, use Encore!" she commanded. The Fomantis began hallucinating an audience as the world around it besides a single spotlight went dark.  
  
Lillie grunted in annoyance. Regardless, she would try her best to get through to her Fomantis. "Fomantis, Razor Leaf!" she ordered. But her Fomantis didn't hear her. As it tried to use it's move again, it strained and found itself unable to repeat the process. The crowd that rung in it's ears only cheered louder, however. Moon smirked, "Gotcha! Brionne, use Bubble Beam!" Brionne winded up, shooting a beam of bubbles throw a jet of water into Fomantis and knocking it back a bit.  
  
It was soaked after only one hit, and it moved slowly as it stood back up. Despite not being very damaged by the attack and even healing back some of it's wounds, it was still considerably slower. Lillie scoffed, "Damn...her speed's been compromised...!" Moon crossed her arms, "It's your move, you know. Oh, but, we all already know what you're gonna do." Lillie scowled back at Moon. She repeated her attack again, though of course, it was futile as her Fomantis repeated and failed to perform Ingrain once again.  
  
"Bubble Beam, again!"  
  
Yet again, Fomantis was left soaked. Still, the crowd was the loudest it had been since it appeared. It danced excitably as it once again disregarded Lillie and attempted to perform Ingrain. As expected, it failed. However, the spotlight and the crowd finally faded as Fomantis looked around, disoriented slightly. It finally realized where it was, as it tried to shake the water off of itself. However, it was too soaked, and now it's speed was greatly impaired. Lillie didn't let this stop her, however.  
  
"Fomantis, Leaf Blade!"  
  
"Stop it with Aqua Jet!"  
  
Before the Fomantis could even begin charging it's attack, it was was slammed into in a heap of water as the Brionne's full weight came crashing down on it. It coughed, still only half damaged by the blow. It didn't even wait for Lillie to repeat her order, returning to charging it's attack as it formed a green sword in it's claws. Then, charging forward, it swiped into the sea-lion with the sword, knocking it back and injuring it severely. It was  _covered_ in scratches as it rolled back towards Moon.  
  
However, it managed to pull itself up. Though not without struggling, first. Lillie growled, "Impossible! It should be knocked out cold!" Moon shook her head, "That's where you underestimate me, Lillie. Brionne has endured things for me many times over. Even a strong hit like that won't take her down so easily." Lillie pouted, her face flushing as she scowled in response. Moon pointed at the target, still soaked and just barely standing up, "Brionne, finish it off! Bubble Beam, once more time!"  
  
Fomantis was unable to dodge, the soaking water impeding it's movement greatly. Once the powerful beam hit, it was knocked out on the floor. Lillie's strategy to heal away the damage had failed completely. Growling in frustration, she called back her Fomantis and tossed up another ball. "Espeon, let's go!" she called. The Espeon returned, only slightly confused to see a new opponent. No matter, it was ready to carry out it's trainer's orders at any moment.  
  
"It doesn't have much left, take it down with Psybeam!" Lille commanded. Espeon nodded, rearing up and shooting a colorful beam of light at Brionne and knocking it out without much effort. "Kh...!" Moon grunted, forced to call back her fallen pokémon. Tossing out her next pokéball, she summoned her Persian. Lillie sneered, putting a hand on her hip.  _Damn...a Dark Type_ she thought. "Persian, use Taunt!" Moon commanded. Lillie's glare became more nasty as the Persian began beckoning her Espeon to hit it.  
  
Espeon took the bait, as it's face reddened in rage. The blonde snapped, "Are you going to do  _anything_ other than making my pokémon repeat themselves?!" Moon smirked smugly, "Not my fault you're too incompetent to get around it." Espeon reared up again, firing a beam at Persian that did absolutely nothing. Not even a slight scuff. The failure only helped to infuriate it further. Persian mimicked it's trainer's smug expression as it stepped forward. "Persian, Feint Attack!" Moon ordered.  
  
Espeon tried to keep it's eyes trained on Persian as it began to approach, but it seemed to flicker away into nothingness. Then, suddenly, it was hit with a powerful force that knocked it back a considerable amount. It growled furiously as it looked up, finding the Persian standing in the same place as it started. "Espeon, you gotta snap out of it! Use Baby Doll Eyes!" Lillie begged. But it was no use, the Taunt mixed with it's new irritation drove it to futilely hit Persian with another blast of it's Psybeam.  
  
"Feint Attack, again!"  
  
Espeon was knocked back once again, even more scratched up and bruised than it already was. It looked close to the brink of passing out, but somehow, it managed to lift itself up. Not even giving it's trainer a second thought, it fired yet another pointless Psybeam. Lillie was unable to help her Espeon as it was hit with one last Feint Attack that rendered it completely unconscious. She pouted again, calling back her Espeon and wasting no time as she threw a Dive Ball into the air.  
  
"Mareanie, it's your turn!"  
  
Moon and Rotom both stared curiously at the strange creature that emerged. Rotom immediately began taking photographs, having never seen the pokémon before. "It's a Ma-a-areanie! It's a Poison and Water Type Pokémon! Zzt!" he chimed. Moon sweat a bit. She knew she had to at least weaken this thing if she would be forced to pull out her Sylveon. It would most certainly be a bad match. "Struggle all you want, Lillie. It won't do you any good. Persian, Fury Swipes!" she bellowed.  
  
"Toxic Spikes!" Lillie ordered. As the Persian began swiping at the poisonous pokémon, Mareanie tossed out an array of purple spikes around the battlefield. It was hit 3 times, but it was left mildly damaged by the attack as it jumped back. Moon only sweat more.  _Damn...! Even if I beat this thing there's no **way** I can pull out Sylveon! _she thought. "Now Mareanie, Poison Sting!" Lillie ordered. Moon acted quickly. She had to take this thing down, before it was too late.  
  
"Taunt it!" she ordered. Unfortunately, the Persian wasn't able to prepare itself in time as it was pricked by one of the spikes on the Mareanie's tentacles. It hissed in pain, throwing the nuisance off. It's face turned purple, heaving sickeningly as it began to become infuriated that it's coat was damaged. However, it kept it's rage in check. It had to pay attention. "Venoshock!" Lillie commanded, not allowing Moon a single second to use her trump card. Moon growled, knowing they had no time to trap Lillie.  
  
"Dodge it, then use Feint Attack!" Moon insisted. Persian followed through, managed to avoid the stream of toxic, purple liquid that sprayed from the Mareanie's mouth. Then, flickering as it increased it's speed to undetectable machs, it struck at the Mareanie from behind, sending it flying face-first into the pavement. It pulled itself up, hissing in irritation. "Venoshock, again!" Lillie ordered. Once again, Mareanie sprayed disgusting toxic liquid at the Persian and managed to hit it with full force.  
  
However, despite messying the Persian's coat even further, it didn't do as much damage as anticipated. It's tail swayed, growling in irritation at it's eye twitched. It took every fiber of it's being to restrain itself. This only served to infuriate Lillie even more. "What's the meaning of this?!" she demanded. Moon rolled her eyes, "That's it's Special Ability. Afraid your physical attacks won't do as much damage as you want them to." Rotom beeped nervously, as it observed the Mareanie's exhausted condition.  
  
It was breathing heavily, covered in scratches and bruises now as it struggled to not fall over onto it's own face again. Persian's tail continuously swayed as their stare down continued. "Whatever! You  _don't_ scare me! Mareanie, Venoshock, again!" Lillie snapped. Mareanie unhinged it's mouth to spray another bout of acidic liquid when Moon gave her own order. "Oh no you don't! Persian, Fury Swipes! Don't stop!" she shouted. Persian pounced forward, swiping into the Mareanie continuously.  
  
It got in 4 hits, and was about to go for 5 when it observed the Mareanie's swirled eyes after the initial fourth hit. It's tail swayed, growling in a slight taunt of victory. Lillie called back her Mareanie, throwing out her last pokéball to summon her final pokémon. "Herdier, it's up to you now!" she shouted. Herdier barked as it came flying through the light of the ball. Persian hissed at it, displeased with the mere presence of the mutt. "Persian, Growl at it!" Moon ordered. Persian followed through gladly.  
  
The mutt pokémon sweat nervously, it's eye twitching at the low keening sound. Lillie scowled, "Don't let it deter you! Use Crunch!" The Herdier barked, darting forward and sinking it's teeth deep into the Persian's coat. It hissed in pain, flailing for a considerably long time before it finally threw the mutt off of itself. It huffed, breathing heavily as purple acid dripped off of it's body. Moon sneered nervously. Even with it's ability, there was the real risk of it going berserk from it's frustration.  
  
"Fury Swipes!" Moon shouted. Persian darted forward, swiping at the Herdier twice as it huffed. It was struggling to keep it's eyes on it's target between keeping it's rage in check and the annoying liquid in it's face. "Crunch, again!" Lillie ordered. Yet again, the Herdier bit down deep into the Persian's coat once again. The restraints broke off completely as it was covered in a dark aura. Lillie smirked smugly, snickering ever-so slightly under her breath as Moon's face turned dark.  
  
"Uh o-o-oh...it's going into a frenzy!" Rotom beeped nervously. Persian struggled furiously, hissing and growling frantically. Once again it managed to throw the Herdier off. Moon reached out a hand, "P-Persian-" It hissed angrily, darting forward and flickering until it vanished completely. However, the Herdier used it's ears to anticipate it's approach, dodging carefully just as it was about to hit. As the Persian flickered back into view again, the Herdier jumped up to attack.  
  
"Take Down!" Lillie commanded. It dove into the Persian, knocking it back with a powerful hit. The Persian hissed in irritation, attempting to swipe at the Herdier instead. However, the Herdier kept dodging each and every swipe with ease. "Persian, please, snap out of it!" Moon begged. But it seemed past able to hear her. Lillie snickered, "Game over, Moon! Herdier, finish it off! Crunch it!" Herdier sunk it's teeth into Persian one last time, causing it to flail until it hit the ground with a loud crash.  
  
Herdier released it's grip on the Persian, barking victoriously as it observed it's swirled eyes. Moon bit her lower lip.  _Dammit! I'm sorry Sylveon, but you're all I've got left..._ she thought, calling back her Persian and fishing out her last pokéball. Hesitating heavily, she threw it up in the air to call it out. The Sylveon hopped out gleefully, but quickly it's cute smile contorted into a grimace as it accidentally landed on one of the scattered spikes on the field. It's face turned purple and it winced in pain.  
  
"S-Syl!" it cried, starting to feel incredibly sickly. Moon sneered, feeling incredibly guilty, "Sorry Sylveon...try to push through it. Use Swift!" The Sylveon shook it's head, summoning an array of pink, sparkling stars and firing them towards the Herdier. The Herdier was unable to dodge, scratched up considerably by each star that knocked against it's coat. It growled in irritation, and it's trainer mimicked the sound. "No matter...that poison will have it on the ground in no time. Herdier, Work Up!" Lillie declared.  
  
The Herdier growled, focusing it's power as a red aura consumed it and dissipated into nothingness. Sylveon coughed, wincing in pain as it appeared to get slightly weaker. Still, it pushed through. Determined to make it's trainer proud. "Sylve!" it cried, demanding it's next order. Moon nodded, pointing to the Herdier, "Swift, again!" Yet another array of stars bolted into the Herdier. It only managed to dodge one, but strangely, it seemed to do quite a bit of damage. It huffed low in agitation and pain.  
  
Lillie was too caught up in her certainty to notice how scratched up it had become. "Herdier, use Crunch!" she commanded. Her Herdier darted forward once again, sinking it's teeth deep into Sylveon's skin. Sylveon cried out in pain, wincing as the poison only began to course through even more of it's body. Moon cringed. She had to find someway to get through this. Despite her prior trip to the market, she hadn't prepared herself for poisoning. It hadn't been an issue for so long, she felt it unnecessary.  
  
What a fool she turned out to be in that regard after all. As Sylveon shook off it's opponent after a long struggle, it glared at Herdier intensely. Moon sweat a bit. All she could do was continue her onslaught and hope that Sylveon's ability would be enough to take Herdier out quickly. "Swift, again!" she ordered. Sylveon spread it's legs apart as it prepared itself. However, just before it began charging it's attack, it began hacking until purple goop spilled out of it's mouth. It's face cleared up to it's normal complexion.  
  
Lillie's eyes widened in shock.  _No way...! It's just like what my Espeon did...!_ she thought. As it's ribbons flowed and swayed with ferocity, Sylveon charged up it's attack. This time, the sparkling stars were just a tad bigger than they were the last couple of times. Only now did Lillie realize how beaten up Herdier was from it's attacks. "H-Herdier! What's happened to you...?!" she yelped. Moon shook her head, "Once again, ignorant to the cards I hold in my hand, Lillie."  
  
"What did you do?!"  
  
" _I_ didn't do anything. Sylveon has the ability to transform Normal Type moves into Fairy Type moves after increasing their power by just 30%. Normally where that move wouldn't do anything special, it's been doing a bit more damage than normal."  
  
"You little harlot!"  
  
"Looks like it's game over for  _you_ instead, Lillie. Take this as a warning. Don't mess with my friends, or you'll get the boot!"  
  
Lillie was unable to retort as Herdier was slammed with a particularly critical plethora of stars. As the dust settled and she looked up, she observed it had swirled eyes to indicate it's fainted condition. She growled furiously. "Li-i-illie is out of eligible pokémon! Moon is the winner! Zzt!" Rotom beeped. Calling her Herdier back into it's ball, she took out her ride pager as she glared at Moon. And it was faint, but Moon could almost swear she saw tears prick at the blonde's eyes.  
  
"This  _isn't_ over, Moon! Know that you got  _lucky_  today! Next time we duel, you're dead  _meat_!" she threatened as a Charizard came flying down. Without even giving the gear in it's hand a second glance, she hopped onto the saddle on it's back and took off. Moon scowled as she watched Lillie disappear into the skies. She decided not to waste her time dwelling, quickly turning her attention back to her Sylveon to treat it's wounds from battle. It cooed sadly as she sprayed away it's scratches.  
  
Wiping off the acidic substance from Sylveon's mouth, she pat it's head. "It's ok, Sylveon. You did a good job out there. Come on, we need to go up ahead and take the others to the Pokémon Center," she reassured, picking up her Sylveon gently. Sylveon snuggled into a ball in it's master's arms. Rotom floated along beside Moon curiously as she began down the road. "Wa-a-ait, Moon! What about the- Zzt! -boys?" he asked. She stopped briefly, turning to look at him and then back down the road.  
  
"...I think...I'll leave this one to Hau. Something tells me Mr Sunshine finally got over himself."  


* * *

  
_Stupid stupid stupid!_ Hau thought, dragging Gladion along towards the motel. The older boy was trailed behind him a bit, and this point, he was completely unresponsive at all. Not that it matter. Hau just had to get him to safety. Gladion wasn't looking up. He was completely quiet, but his grip on Hau's hand had said quite enough if everything Hau had just heard between him and his sister wasn't enough. But he didn't need anything else from him. He wouldn't ask questions, not today. Now wasn't the time for that.  
  
He just needed him to be here to listen to him.  _Don't screw it up! Don't make him push you away again!_  Hau couldn't think about anything else. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him and he stopped, prompting Gladion to do the same. Hau didn't look at him, so he didn't notice when Gladion looked up and seemed to wake up. Somehow the older boy could practically sense something was wrong.  _This is all my fault_ Hau thought as his grip on Gladion's hand became tighter and sweat bead down the side of his face.  
  
_He doesn't have to fight my battles **for** me. I'm all he has to protect him, I told him I would! What's  **wrong** with me?! I can't keep screwing up like this. If I do, I-_  
  
"H...Hau..."  
  
His voice was still shaken, and he hadn't stopped crying just yet. Hau turned to look at him, but he didn't have a second to react as he was suddenly pounced on in...a  _hug_? The older boy wasn't usually so intimate. Hau wrapped his arms around him, gently petting his head to soothe him. He couldn't help but be confused at this. Even with all he had just witnessed, he was left bewildered. Was he finally snapping out of it? If he did, then why was he doing this?  
  
_Did he... **know** something was up? How did he...?_   
  
"I just...want to thank you. For trying your best to help. I know I make things difficult for you, but...I appreciate that you're still even bothering to help me."  
  
Hau's eyes nearly burst out of his skull.  _He_ thought this was  _his_ fault? Hau put his hands on the blonde's shoulders and pushed him back. He had to look him in the eye. Gladion couldn't just hear him say it. He had to look Gladion in the eye. He wouldn't take him seriously otherwise. "Hanini...you didn't do  _anything_ wrong. You were really brave.  _I_ was the one who should've done more back there. I shouldn't have let-" he was cut off before he could even finish.   
  
"No, this...! I-It's not-!" Gladion stopped himself.  
  
He was stammering a lot. Maybe he just couldn't find the right way to say it. As Hau realized something, he couldn't help but smile warmly.  _Heh...we're just doing it again_ he thought. They'd come all this way and they still just had to butt heads. Hau took a deep breath, "Fine. We'll call it even, then. But...right now I wanna get you to the motel. It's not safe out here." Gladion sniffled and nodded, futilely wiping one of his tears away only for it to be replace by another.  
  
"Y...Yeah. I-I'm sorry. I just-" Hau plugged his mouth with his finger. He tried not to glare at him. Sometimes this was cute, but other times, it was just plain inconvenient. "Hey. No more apologies. Neither of us needs to be sorry about anything right now, got it?" he asked. Gladion nodded again, before taking back Hau's hand. His grip wasn't as strong as before but Hau could still get the feeling he was scared of letting go of him. He couldn't really blame him, either. As they continued on their path, they went on talking again.  
  
"...Hau, I've...been wondering something."  
  
"What is it, Hanini?"  
  
"Before you ran into Lillie you suddenly ran up ahead. Did you...see something?"  
  
"Oh. That's right. I saw some grass patches and I thought I saw a rare pokémon."  
  
"R-Really...? What was it?"  
  
"Judging from the tail, I think it was a Stufful."  
  
Gladion raised a brow at this. He forced himself to catch up to Hau's footing so he could stand next to him. "What's a Stufful?" he asked. Hau smiled, "Oh! It's this cute little pokémon that looks almost  _exactly_ like a plush toy! It's real cuddly." Gladion gave a sheepish look. He resisted the urge to apologize to his friend for his sister's interruption. Hau blushed a bit as he continued, "I've thinking about catching one for you for a while. I thought it might help you sleep better."  
  
"You did?" Gladion asked, blinking curiously. Hau nodded, "Yeah. Most Stufful hate being touched by anyone who they aren't familiar with, but once they get used to ya it's a lot easier. It's a bit of an old wive's tale, but people say cuddling a Stufful when you sleep helps ward off nightmares." Gladion blushed, his heart fluttering with flattery. It was hard not to smile with how kindly Hau treated him. Even now, he was still thinking about the blonde and  _his_ well-being.  
  
"Well, you ought to be more careful. You didn't even notice that Aether caravan that you ran past."  
  
"Oh geez! Really? My bad, Hanini. Is tha-"  
  
Hau hesitated. He didn't want to bring up his sister right now. Unfortunately enough for him, Gladion noticed. "...Why I didn't use Null?" he finished, his bangs clouding his eyes from Hau's view. Hau swallowed, nodding hesitantly. "Y-You...we shouldn't talk about this right now. It's not-" he was interrupted as the blonde winced and tightened his grip on the younger boy's hand again. "No...it's fine. Yeah, that's why I didn't use him. It was too risky. Even  _if_ nobody was around," he explained.  
  
"So you were being careful, like usual..." Hau muttered. Their conversation was cut short as Gladion suddenly stopped. Hau turned to see what he was looking at and saw a Pokémon Center. "O-Oh! Yeah, we need to heal your team. C'mon!" Hau beckoned. Gladion nodded, following the younger boy towards and into the facility. They didn't stop at the café nor the store. They didn't have time for anything else and they both knew it well. As soon as the nurse handed Gladion back his pokéballs they were off again.  
  
Finally, they had reached the motel. They both felt utterly relieved. Hau quickly checked in at the front desk. Thankfully, they still had a bed room open. They made their way inside their room with haste, Hau quickly closing the door behind them as they entered. He let out a sigh of relief as he ran a hand through his hair and slumped against the door. There was only one bed yet again. Gladion quietly approached it, removing his satchel and tossing it onto the bed before he froze again.  
  
Then, he fell to his knees as he clutched at the bed sheets. Hau was quick to get up, crouching down towards Gladion as he gently put his hands on his back. The touch prompted Gladion to turn around as he pulled Hau into another hug. Hau gladly returned it, petting his head again as he soothed him with careful whispers. The blonde could only sob incoherently into Hau's chest. He didn't know what else to do. Until now, he didn't allow himself to feel anything about things like this.  
  
But now, he couldn't manage that facade anymore. His worries didn't do enough to keep him from hurting. In a way, it was Hau's affection that tore down this shield he had. Instead, he had a new protection, the assurance of his friend's presence. As long as he could hold him, touch him, know that he was still physically here, he'd know he was safe. It was a correlation that had been built up over the long weeks they had spent together. His irrationality had lifted, he was ready to let Hau protect him.  
  
After a few minutes, he was finally able to stop shaking. He couldn't cry anymore. He had nothing left in him. He sniffled, still not easing up his grip on Hau. Hau turned his head slightly to look at his friend. "What is it, hoa?" Hau asked. Gladion shook his head. Hesitantly, he pulled himself off Hau just a bit so he could be heard more clearly. His face was red. Hau gently brushed his bangs out of his face and left a hand on his cheek. He pressed his forehead against the blonde's, staring into his bright eyes.  
  
"You can tell me..."  
  
The blonde stared back for a few moments. He wondered what he should do. He had grown used to the younger boy touching him this way. They had grown incredibly close thus far. Still, he wondered if he should tell Hau everything he was feeling. He knew these feelings probably wouldn't just fade with time. Not if he continued travelling with Hau as he had already decided. He breathed shakily, before he buried his face in the younger boy's shoulder.   
  
"Nothing...e aho, Hau."  
  
Hau's eyes widened as the words left Gladion's lips. He kept on soothing the older boy, as his thoughts swirled. "Hey, Gladion? Do you mind if I ask you...?" he trailed off, uncertain whether or not he wanted to finish the proposition. Gladion's eyes lit up a bit. "What is it?" he asked. Hau took the question as an invitation to continue. "Did you mean it?" he asked. The question left Gladion a bit confused. He raised a brow as he turned his head slightly to look at Hau, "What?"  
  
"When you called me your friend...did you mean it?"  
  
The blonde's face flushed as his eyes twinkled in adoration. He buried his face in Hau's shoulder again before answering. "Yes...I meant it." Hau processed this answer for a moment. "Does that mean you're ok with staying here...with me?" he asked. Gladion didn't hesitate to nod as he nuzzled his friend's shoulder. One of his arms slid down off Hau's back as he began to grow weak and tired. Hau noticed this, taking his own hand off of Gladion's head and moving it to hold his hand.  
  
The older boy's eyes slid shut as he began to relax in the younger boy's embrace. As he took his hand in his, Hau began rubbing his thumb along Gladion's hand. Both their hearts fluttered as they slumped into each other. Neither boy wanted to pull of the other. Slowly, the blonde slipped deep into a gentle slumber as Hau quietly sung a lullaby to him in his native language. Something about the tune seemed familiar, but he wasn't able to place it before he was deep into his dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. Finally done with school! 
> 
> Sorry this took so long, but I wanted to take a break for my Senior Ball yesterday. I should be able to put these out a bit more consistently for a little bit before graduation week. Daily uploads may be making a comeback. Stay tuned~!


	38. Chapter 37 - O Ka Hui Means Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillie returns to Po Town to give her full report on her field mission, as the boys discuss what their next move should be.

Upon waking, Gladion was strangely unable to recall a bit of his memory. Perhaps he was groggy, or exhausted. Perhaps the burning at his eyes was a bit too distracting for him to focus. As he sat up, he noticed he was in a bed. Upon further inspection as he rubbed at his eyes, he found his younger companion sleeping soundly beside him. He blinked. For a moment, he wasn't quite processing what he was seeing. Then, his face turned a bright and seething red as he pulled his hood over his face and tugged on the strings.  
  
However, he was quickly pulled out of his fit as he was approached by a familiar face. He looked up curiously, "Null? But...I don't remember letting you out last night." He began petting Null as he sat off the edge of the bed. However, as he looked around the room, he noticed as his other pokémon approached him. His eyes lit up, "Everyone...!" As he looked amongst them, he remembered the day before vividly. He winced, slowly taking his hands off of Null to grab his left wrist.  
  
"I'm...I'm sorry for what I put you all through, yesterday. I was being selfish."  
  
"...What's selfish?"  
  
The older boy's eyes grew wide as he spun around to see Hau sitting up and rubbing tiredly at his eyes. He blinked slowly, his grip on his wrist loosening a bit. It didn't take Hau long to wake himself up, as he held Gladion's left hand to comfort him. "I let them out last night after you fell asleep. They were really worried about you, you know..." he explained. Gladion's eyes sparkled with adoration as his face flushed. "They...were?" he asked. Hau nodded, looking towards Gladion's pokémon and prompting him to do the same.  
  
5 sets of eyes stared back at the older boy. The youngest, Zorua and Eevee, hopped onto the bed and into his lap. Balancing themselves as they put their front paws on his chest, they barked frantically up at him. His eyes glazed over as he pet them both to soothe their nerves. Suddenly, his Rockruff pounced on top of all 3 of them, sending Gladion back onto the bed as Hau dodged. Golbat joined in on the onslaught of loving licks as Null stood up, it's tail wagging back and forth.  
  
Hau smiled as he heard Gladion's laughter emerge from all the chittering. Eventually, Gladion managed to get the children to calm down so he could sit up. "Thanks everyone...you know, you all did great yesterday. You did your best and that's all I could ask," he praised. Once again he looked between them. His smile faded as he clenched his open hands into fists. At first, Hau was worried, until he recognized an unmistakably determined glint in his eye.  
  
"...Hau?" he asked. Hau blinked, "Wh-what is it? Is something wrong?" Gladion shook his head before turning to look his companion in the eye. "No. Well...sort of. I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor," he explained. Hau nodded eagerly. "O-Of course!" he retorted. Gladion hesitated for a moment. Despite already having his approval, he didn't want to trouble him. Still...this was necessary.   
  
"Do you think...we could stay here for a while? I...I want to train my team. To catch up to you and Moon."  
  
The proposition had Hau blinking in thought for a moment. It was an odd favor, by all means. However, he knew Gladion was right. His team was incredibly under-trained. Even with their training in the wild, it was clear he was quite a ways behind Hau, and even moreso behind Moon. "Are you sure? I-I'm ok with it, really. But..." he stammered. Gladion blinked for a moment. Then, he smiled softly. "I'm sure. I'll be fine. After all..." he gently grabbed Hau's hand again as he blushed shyly.  
  
"...What's there to worry about when I've got  _you_ here with me?"  
  
Hau's heart nearly jumped into his throat as stars shined in his eyes. His face flushed as he gazed at Gladion with utter adoration. "Y...Yeah!" he yelped. The children jumped off the bed as both boys rose up to their feet. Hau's Eevee bumped cheeks with it's brother, chirping eagerly. The quiet Eevee pouted indignantly, barking lightly at it in protest to the close contact. "We can train in the parking lot. There's plenty of space! Who do you wanna start with?" Hau asked, lazily leaning back as he put his hands behind his head.  
  
Gladion looked among his pokémon carefully, before his eyes landed between Rockruff and the Eevees. He glanced at Hau again before nodding, "I think I've got a couple in mind..." Hau nodded back, "Then we'll start with a double battle! It'll save us some time! Eevee, Pikachu, let's go outside for a bit, huh?" Pikachu began for the door alongside Rockruff while the Eevee brothers were still nuzzling cheeks, though one of them unwillingly so. Just as the boys approached the door, they stopped and exchanged looks.  
  
"Don't hold back. I can take it."  
  
"Only if you don't~!"  
  
Gladion smirked, hesitantly letting go of Hau's hand to turn the knob of the door. Something about the look he gave the younger boy seemed...oddly flirtatious. It had Hau defenseless once again as his eyes shone with infatuation. "In that case, I'll be sure to give you everything I've got~" he cooed. Hau gulped, following outside after Gladion eagerly. At this point, he had him utterly inflamed. He hoped it wouldn't rattle his brain  _too_ much. Oh, how hopeless he was. Still, he was sure of  _one_ thing.  
  
_As long as I have your eyes on me...I can do anything._

* * *

  
It was the second night she hadn't been in Po Town. It was strange for both the Skull Gang bosses. After all, they had practically grown used to her presence. Even if most days she was holed up in her room. It felt even more empty with the lack of grunts. Just like Lillie, most of them had departed off for the islands to continue their search. All except Strelitzia and the Pokémon Center attendants. The young girl was eager in her wait of her idol's return, practically  _dying_ to hear about her adventures.  
  
She played quietly with her Happiny and Morelull in the grass, having long since shrugged off her training. She was a ditzy one, so sometimes she forgot what she needed to do. She was pulled out of it however, as she noticed her bosses walk past on the stone road. She blinked curiously, as usually Plumeria would scold her for slacking off. However, they appeared to be walking and talking. Strelitzia shrugged it off, deciding it was best to get back to her training either way.  
  
The two bosses continued down the road, neither paying her any mind. They were already too caught up in their own conversation to notice. "Are you  _sure_ she ain't texted you?" Guzma asked. While he wouldn't admit it, he had been anxious since the night before. It was almost impossible for him to get sleep. The dark circles under his eyes were even more noticeable today due to this. Plumeria rolled her eyes, "You worry too much. I'm sure she's just caught up in havin' fun is all."  
  
"Plum, you  _know_ what happened last time."  
  
"Yeah, I know it. And this time, she's a lot stronger. So there ain't no need to worry about the brat."  
  
"You sure about that?"  
  
"The hell is that supposed to mean? You sayin' I didn't train her good enough?"  
  
"I trained her too, y'know! I'm just sayin' I've got a bad feelin' in my gut, alright?"  
  
"Well yer gut ain't got a brain. Not that the one  _you_ have is all that functional, anywho."  
  
Guzma pouted, "You wound me, Plum." Plumeria smirked snidely, stopping in her tracks as she put a hand on her hip. "Somehow, I  _doubt_ that," she teased. Guzma's face flushed a bit at this. He scratched his cheek nervously, "L-Lay off, would ya? I'm tryna be serious here." Plumeria pouted a fake sadness as she cupped one of her cheeks in her hand. "Oh, are you? I'm so sorry, I didn't realize I was talkin' to a  _pansy_ ~" she cooed. His face turned red with embarrassment, and she couldn't help but burst out snickering.  
  
"H-Hey! Who you callin' a pansy?!"  
  
"You're so easy, I swear!"  
  
Their moment was cut short as they heard the loud roar overhead. They both looked up and saw a Charizard with a saddle on it's back. They couldn't see the driver, but they both had a hunch. The Charizard landed, and it's large winds blew up a wind that ruffled their hair and clothes. Once it stopped, they looked up to find exactly who they were expecting. They both ran up to her eagerly as she unhooked her equipment and handed it back to the Charizard.  
  
"Princess!"  
  
She didn't look up at them, she seemed to be hiding her eyes. Her Espeon hopped out of the dufflebag, seeming a bit distressed. "Y-Yer back already. How was your trip? I got a little spooked when you didn't answer my texts," Plumeria asked. Lillie still, was silent. Suddenly, a Happiny ran towards her Espeon, hopping up and down eagerly. It seemed curious, much like the Skull Gang bosses were. "Happiny! Happiny! Hap?" it cried. It frowned when the Espeon mewed lowly at it, making a worried face as it looked up at Lillie.  
  
"Piny..." it muttered. It didn't take long for Strelitzia to catch up as well, breathing heavily from the running she wasn't quite used to yet. "B-Big s- I-I...I mean _Lillie_! You're back!" she cried, eagerly. Still, no answer. Everyone was growing uneasy now. Espeon began nuzzling it's trainer's ankle in an attempt to get her to move or respond. And still nothing. Guzma swallowed hard. He was afraid something like this might happen. He stepped forward as he reached out to her, "Is...everythin' alri-"  
  
He stopped as she finally looked up. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were stained with tears that had already been long shed. Everyone blinked in shock. Lillie sniffled, "I...I lost." Strelitzia covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes glazing over with pity. Guzma was completely speechless and guilt began to sink into Plumeria's thoughts. All their hearts had completely sunken. New tears came to Lillie's eyes as she began futiley trying to wipe them away.   
  
"I-I'm sorry...to disappoint you again. I-I don't know what happened! I thought I had her on the ropes this time! She was totally outnumbered! I-If...if only my  _stupid_ brother hadn't gotten in the way, I-"   
  
"Woah woah, slow down princess, your  _brother_? He's on Akala?" Plumeria asked.  
  
"Y-Yeah...And I beat him. He got lucky...he only took out  _one_ of my pokémon, but he's still just a weak  _amateur_!"  
  
"...Start from the top. Go slow, princess. Tell us everythin'."  
  
Lillie sniffled and nodded, before proceeding to recount a full report to her bosses. As she described her battle with her brother, it made the bosses heavily uneasy. Especially Guzma, whom half felt proud of her and half bad for the poor kid she steamrolled. Even if he  _was_ responsible at least in part for some of her pain. He was still a kid, after all. And it only troubled him further to know that the Kahuna's grandson was still involved closely in all this. Even moreso that he appeared to be friends with Lusamine's son.  
  
Then, the worst part of it all, as Lillie sobbed through her attempt to describe her frustrating battle with Moon. Somehow, despite being wildly outnumbered, they could hardly believe it as she told them how Moon somehow swept a victory over her. This trainer was definitely something not to be reckoned with. Or maybe she was. All they knew is that she was becoming a consistent pain in the neck. Eventually, they'd have to stomp this out themselves. And yet still, they wanted to give Lillie the chance instead.  
  
"-And th-that's everything. I didn't wanna come home after I lost...so I just went to another part of the island and went back to beating up lower level trainers," she finished. There was definitely a lot to process, especially now that he had no excuse to not go after the kid. He was definitely weak, even  _with_ the Kahuna's grandson beside him, and they had his location pinned down. Of course that did also beg the question...how did he even  _get_ to Akala in the first place?   
  
Weren't all the Ferry Stations completely out of the question? And if he was travelling with a Trial-Goer, they definitely could've have had a Charizard on hand quite yet. What was he missing here? Perhaps Lusamine's workers were just  _that_ incompetent. Or maybe...these kids were more clever than they appeared. He shook his head. He would have time to think about all this later. Right now, he had to console his princess. He stepped forward, firmly grabbing her shoulders to get her full attention.  
  
"Princess, listen. You ain't been a disappointment. This trainer is just somethin' you ain't ready to handle yet."  
  
"But I-"  
  
"No buts. I miscalculated all this. I should've let you train more. You've got guts, and you know yer stuff by now. But without a strong enough team, wits ain't gonna cut it."  
  
Strelitzia stepped forward, her eyes sparkling with determination, "Y-Yeah! And you beat your brother, didn't ya?" Lillie shook her head, "I only won because he's barely even trained his pokémon! He was easy pickings!" Plumeria stepped forward next, "Exactly. What you need to do is use the stepping stones you can work with to get to the top. I think you ran into your brother out there for a reason, princess." Lillie processed Plumeria's words for a moment, before wiping away the last of her tears and stepping back.  
  
She no longer had a sad, dejected look on her face. She had learned from her brother's mistakes. She wouldn't cry or hide or run away from her problems. She would come back from this a ten times stronger than she was before. She had to. There was no other option now. She realized it now, why she was so determined to put Moon in her place. For if she could defeat this strong trainer, she was certain that was her last test before confronting her mother once and for all.  
  
"Th-then...where do I start? I wanna be so powerful she won't even be prepared for it!"  
  
Strelitzia nodded again, "Wh-why don't you battle me then, Princess Lillie? I'd make a  _great_ stepping stone for you! And Morelull and Happiny have been just  _dying_ to fight your pokémon!" Lillie nodded, turning to look at Strelitzia. "Alright then. Let's go. Perhaps we can both learn something," she agreed. Guzma nodded, patting Lillie on the head. This prompted her to look up at him one more time. She blinked curiously. He smiled warmly before slapping her on the back, being careful not to hurt her.  
  
"That's the spirit, princess. Now, go make me real proud."  
  
"I will! Th-thank you d- ...B-Boss. And you as well Plumeria. I promise to come to you both when I need a stronger opponent!"  
  
"'Atta girl. Go have fun."  
  
Plumeria and Guzma watched on as the girls sprinted off towards the grass to start their training. As soon as they were sure neither were paying attention to them, their walls dropped down as they exchanged looks of guilt and shock. Guzma ran a hand through his hair as Plumeria's eyes scanned the town frantically as she tried to collect her thoughts. Guzma groaned, "Dammit...! This is real bad. What the hell am I gonna tell Lusamine  _now_?" Plumeria raised a brow at him, crossing her arms.  
  
"You don't gotta tell her nuthin', do ya?"  
  
"I gotta give 'er  _somethin'_ soon, Plum. We can't keep sayin' we don't see 'im anywhere. She's gonna get suspicious."  
  
"...He didn't pull out that pokémon she's after."  
  
"What?"  
  
"During her little story. She made no mention of that chimera creature. He only used his normal pokémon."  
  
"What's yer point?"  
  
"My  _point_ is if what that crazy broad said is true, he definitely could've won if he pulled it out. She already said there wasn't nobody around besides the Kahuna's grandson and that pesky trainer. He's still bein' careful to hide it. Which means he ain't lettin' his guard down."  
  
"No shit. I still don't see what this has to do with anythin'."  
  
"I'm  _sayin'_...between him, and that kid he's with, he's prepared for some kind of attack at any point. He's bein' cautious."  
  
Guzma absorbed all this for a moment. He shook his head, "I get what yer sayin'...but you forgot one thing." Plumeria raised a brow at him, resting a hand on her hip again. Guzma turned his head to look at her again, "I ain't interested in involvin' Hala's grandson in any of this. That woman is ruthless, you know that. You think she's gonna let him off the hook?" Plumeria's look turned sheepish as she looked down. She groaned, "No...I guess not. Damn...when did this stupid shit get so complicated?"  
  
Guzma sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets as he slumped over. Then, his phone buzzed in his pocket, as if on cue. The color drained from their faces. Slowly, he pulled it out and stared down at the screen. Despite already knowing who it was, he was left speechless at the ID that displayed. He sneered nervously as he began to sweat. Then, his eyes narrowed and he glared. Plumeria raised her brow at him as he flipped it open and his thumb hovered above the accept button.  
  
Suddenly, he pushed down on the reject button and flipped it shut. Her eyes widened. She approached him, grabbing his arm and turning him around. She whispered in a low hiss, as not to alert the children, "What're you doing...?!" At first, Guzma was unable to answer. Until his shock finally wore off. He shook his head. His eyes went dark as he looked away from her, "...I'll just...call her back later. I ain't in no mood to talk to that bitch anyways. I...I need time to think."  
  
Plumeria took a deep breath, before releasing her hold on Guzma. She stepped back, turning away and beginning down the road again. He stared at her in bewilderment for a moment. Was she not going to yell at him? Ask more questions? Then, she stopped, and turned her head to look at him. Her plucked brow was raised impatiently. "Are ya comin' or what? You wanna think, so let's think," she huffed. He blinked, before he shook his head and stuffed the phone back into his pocket. Looking back at the kids one more time, he swiftly caught up with Plumeria's footing.

* * *

  
"Pikachu, Double Team!"  
  
"Sand Attack!"  
  
They were both down to only one pokémon. The other two had long since sat it out. They were much too tired. They had been training the whole day long, and now the sun was nearly set over the horizon and the moon was rising into the skies as the stars began lighting up the rest of it. Gladion's Eevee and Hau's Pikachu both were covered in scratches and bruises. Eevee's bangs were slightly disheveled and they both were breathing heavy and ragged breaths. They were nearly pushed to their breaking points.  
  
Pikachu's eyes burned with the tiny dusty rocks the Eevee managed to throw in it's face. The Eevee was trying it's hardest to pin down the original, as it was hallucinating a plethora of Pikachus before it. Hau was smirking smugly. He leaned back, putting his hands behind his head again, "Man, Eevee's getting  _real_ good! I think it might win this time!" The older boy returned his smirk, "Maybe so. After all, eventually you'll be too tired to go on." Rockruff whined in slight disgust of their constant flirting.  
  
Hau's Eevee just tilted it's head, too young to understand the interaction. Pikachu's cheek flared up with static, ready for it's next order. Hau's eyes narrowed, "Let's wrap this up, shall we?" Gladion nodded, holding his hand over his face in his now signature pose. "Let's~" he teased. Hau nodded back, looking to his Pikachu, "Pikachu, Electro Ball! Give it everything you've got!" Pikachu nodded, jumping up into the air as the static in it's cheeks began swirling together into a ball.  
  
"Eevee, counter it with Swift! No holding back!" Gladion ordered. Eevee spread it's legs out, charging up an array of stars that became bigger and bigger as each second ticked by. Pikachu finished it's charge first, and once it did, it slapped the ball down towards the Eevee using it's tail. Eevee quickly fired it's own attack back, unable to use any strength to jump out of the way of any blow back. As the attacks collided with one another, there was a huge explosion. Then, the Electro Ball continued on it's path.  
  
Eevee cried out in surprise, it's bangs parting as it flinched in shock to reveal it's widened eyes. Another explosion upon impact caused an updraft of dust that blinded everyone to the final result. However, it quickly settled and everyone was able to see what had happened as Pikachu landed on it's feet, stumbling slightly and using it's hand to keep itself up. "P-Pika..." it gasped. Eevee was laid on it's back, it's eyes swirled with defeat. It groaned lightly, completely exhausted and unable to continue fighting.  
  
Both Hau's Eevee and Rockruff dashed forward to check on their comrade. It was out like a light. Gently, Gladion scooped it up and called it back into it's ball. "Rest easy now, Eevee...you're doing well," he cooed. He stood up, approaching Hau who was now tending to Pikachu's wounds and exhausted state with potion sprays and pokébeans. Hau stood up as well once he was done, smiling up at Gladion eagerly, "That was real close! You totally had us on the ropes there!"  
  
Gladion chuckled, shyly scratching his cheek, "Y-You really think so? Maybe tomorrow I might be able to actually beat you." Hau nodded. However, his eyes gleamed as he looked past Gladion's eyes and up at the sky. The sun was completely gone now. The younger boy grabbed Gladion's hand, tugging him towards the ledge where the sea was smashing against the rocks below. He pointed up with his other arm, "Hanini, look! Let's stargaze for a bit, huh?"  
  
The blonde blushed, but smiled and nodded, allowing himself to be dragged along. Once they reached the ledge, they both sat, hanging their legs over the side. For some reason, Gladion wasn't quite so anxious in doing this. Perhaps it was the fact that he was with Hau, or that their fingers were tangled together as usual. The children all sat beside them, watching the stars alongside them with great adoration and wonder. They all sighed dreamily as they took in the breath-taking sight.  
  
"Pika...!"  
  
"Ruff..."  
  
"Vee vee...?!"  
  
Gladion chuckled lightly, using his free hand to pet his Rockruff on the head. Hau noticed this. He frowned as his thoughts distracted him from the moment. He looked down, almost seeming to stare off into space. The older boy noticed this quickly. He frowned as well, tightening his grip to get Hau's attention, "Hau? What's the matter?" Hau instantly snapped out of it, turning to look at Gladion with slight panic in his eyes as he realized he let himself get distracted.  
  
"Wh-what? Oh, sorry. Nothing, I'm just thinking about some stuff is all."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Well...I didn't wanna say anything before, but I've been a bit nervous since we got here."  
  
"Really? Why?"  
  
Hau pouted, "My mom...she lives here. In Paniola Town."  
  
Gladion's eyes widened a bit. He looked down as well. He wasn't quite sure what to say to this. "O-Oh...I see," he muttered. Hau sighed, "It's not like I hate her or anything. But she's a little...um... _out there_." Suddenly a thought occurred to Gladion. He turned to meet Hau's eyes again. "How come...you didn't wanna talk about this before? You barely mention her now that I think about it," he asked. Hau's eyes widened slightly. Then, they glazed over as he turned his face away from Gladion.  
  
The older boy wasn't sure what to make of it. Had he said something to upset him? Maybe he was uncomfortable talking about it in the first place. If that were the case... "Y-You don't have to tell me, it's-" He stopped himself as Hau lifted his head to meet his eyes again. They gazed at each other for a long moment. Then, Hau finally spoke. "It...it's not that. It's just...I don't wanna upset you or anything," he admitted. Gladion's eyes widened.  _He...he's still thinking about me..._ the older boy thought.  
  
He shook his head, "N-No! You wouldn't. Hau, I...you've helped me through a lot. Let me return the favor. Tell me. I promise, I won't mind." Hau's eyes twinkled with adoration as his face flushed. Then, he pouted again. "She's just...really floaty. If you think  _I'm_ an airhead, she's a freakin'  _blimp_. Like I said, she's kind of a hippie. But it's like she lives in a whole other century or something!" he explained. Gladion recalled Hau explaining that his mother still believed his father would return.  
  
His eyes darkened a bit, "You've said that before. Is she hard on you?" Hau sighed as he ran his free hand through his hair, "No. She's a sweet woman, really. And I'm sure if she had more money she'd be able to take care of me a little better." Gladion raised a brow at this. "So...she's poor. That's why you live with Hala. How come she has no money?" he asked. Hau tilted his head slightly as his face turned sheepish. This was incredibly embarrassing, but he still wanted to warn his friend.  
  
"She's...a little stubborn. She's been trying to get her garden business to take off for years now. Dad was the one pulling in most of the money. So when he left, she wasn't able to feed me or give me everything I needed on her own."  
  
"Why didn't she just move in  _with_ Hala?"  
  
"Like I said. She's stubborn."  
  
"She  _abandoned_ you?"  
  
"I...I wouldn't say that. I don't think she does most of this stuff on purpose. I know she loves me."  
  
"Sounds complicated..."  
  
"It can be, sometimes. Honestly, I blame most of this on my dad. If he had just gotten over himself everything would've been normal. But he ended being a total coward."  
  
Gladion frowned at this. He had no words to explain how sorry he felt for Hau. He understood the photo he had seen so long ago now completely. His thought swirled as he processed everything Hau told him. His urge to protect Hau was stronger than ever. He winced as his grip became tighter again. Hau noticed this quickly. Just as he was about to ask his friend what was wrong, he found himself pulled into a sudden and unexpected hug by the older boy. He blinked, before clutching to Gladion's shirt as his face flushed.  
  
"...Do you want me to go with you to see her?" he asked. Hau's eyes grew wide as his face somehow got even more red. There weren't words adequate enough to describe the elation he felt. His eyes narrowed as he slumped into Gladion's embrace. "... _Please_ ," he begged. His tone made Gladion's hold on him tighten yet again. He nodded, nuzzling Hau's hair as he comforted him. He looked up again, noticing what looked to be Minior falling out of the sky yet again. This time however, they were covered in a hard shell.  
  
He pulled back from Hau, pointing up at the spectacle, "Hau, look." Hau looked up, and a grin stretched across his face as he gasped with joy. "W-Woah! Another Minior shower! Looks like these ones have their shells on still," Hau yipped excitedly. Rockruff barked, wagging it's tail as it observed the phenomenon. Pikachu and Eevee breathed out with amazement, their eyes reflecting the shower as they sparkled. Hau kept smiling. Then, without quite thinking about it, he leaned his head onto Gladion's shoulder.  
  
The older boy blushed, glancing down at Hau briefly. The younger boy still seemed distracted by the spectacle. Gladion smiled, turning his eyes up to continue watching the shower. The children kept cheering and making excited chitters. The boys entangled their fingers again, Hau once again rubbed his thumb along Gladion's palm as the blonde's face flushed from the gesture. As they both made wishes on the falling pokémon, they were both oblivious as they made the same wish.   
  
_Please don't let this night end..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made another chibi, finally have a full design for Moon in this fic lol  
> Forgive my laziness it was like 11 at night when I edited this one ;w;
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/artgurusauce/art/Pokemon-Trainer-Chibi-Moon-801978108


	39. Chapter 38 - He Could Be That Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillie and the boys both continue their training and make incredible progress.

It was yet another sultry sunny day. In such an intense heat, surely nobody would think of wearing a dark color such as black. But yet, despite the weather, every last member of the Skull Gang maintained their appearance. Including a certain pair of blonde girls whom were sitting atop the wall of Po Town. They stared out at the sight, the older of the two soaking in the younger one's enthusiasm and shock eagerly. Her rose colored eyes sparkled brightly with wonder as she leaned forward carelessly.  
  
"Wow! It's so high up! You can see  _everything_!"  
  
"You sure can. If you turn around you can even see the ocean."  
  
" _Seriously_?!"  
  
"Yup."  
  
Strelitzia squirmed excitedly as she made a high pitched squeal. Her Happiny was hopping up and down excitedly, also immensely enjoying the view. "Happiny, happiny! Hap! Hap! Hap!" it cheered. Streltizia turned her head to look at Lillie again as she beamed. Pulling her face mask down, she revealed a bright grin. "Thanks a lot, Big Sis! This sure is a lot of fun! I know I probably shouldn't shrug off my training, but I can't help it!" she giggled. Lillie rolled her eyes, reaching into her bag to grab something.  
  
"You really ought to focus, Zi. Our training is important, you know," she scolded. Strelitzia sighed, "I knooowww..." Suddenly, Lillie cried out in panic and surprise as Nebby poked it's head out of the bag. It cried out excitedly, eager to play it seemed. She tried her best to stuff it back in before Strelitzia saw, but it was already too late. "Oh...my... _gosh_! That's the  _cutest_ pokémon like... _ever_!" she squeaked. Lillie sighed in defeat, releasing her hold on Nebby and pouting at Strelitzia.  
  
"You can't tell the other grunts about this, Zi. I'm serious. Only the bosses know and I don't need anymore trouble."  
  
"Oh oh! Of course! My lips are sealed, Big Sis! But...can I  _please_ have a look? I just  _love_ tiny pokémon!"  
  
"Fine...but be  _very_ careful. He's still really hurt from using too much power."  
  
Strelitzia frowned as Lillie carefully passed the colorful pokémon into her lap. She pet it gently as it cooed to her playfully. "Awww, poor thing. What happened to it? Was it in a really bad fight or something?" she asked. Lillie shook her head, "No...it helped me escape from my home. It's never been in a battle as far as I know. It only knows Splash and Teleport. And it used it's Teleport to get me here. And let's just say... _here_ is really far from my house." Strelitzia's eyes widened in shock.  
  
"Jeepers! That sounds so terrible! Well I hope he gets better soon. He seems really anxious to play."  
  
"Yeah...that's what I'm worried about."  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"I stole it from my mother. She was abusing it really badly. And she'd do  _anything_ to get it back from me."  
  
" _A-Anything_?"  
  
"Yes...she's a desperate,  _pathetic_ woman."  
  
Strelitzia pouted, before handing Nebby back to Lillie. "Th-then you should protect it no matter what! I'll do that too! Nobody will even know it exists!" she declared. Lillie smiled, gently putting Nebby back into it's home in the bag after scolding it once more and giving it a stern lecture. Strelitzia stretched her arms out as she yawned, "Man, it sure has been a slow morning! Everybody's all gone out for field missions again!" Lillie nodded, glancing at the pokéballs in her bag before looking to Strelitzia again.  
  
"Why won't we liven things up a little around here? I think my Fomantis is a little out of shape," she suggested. Strelitzia grinned widely again as her eyes sparkled, "R-Really?! Sure! C'mon Happiny, let's go!" Calling the Happiny back into it's ball, Strelitzia began making her way down the ladder. Lillie followed suit after a few moments, as not to accidentally kick the poor girl in the face. She couldn't help but giggle with amusement at the girl's excitement. So  _this_ was what being the older sibling was like.  
  
They quickly made their way through the mansion to get back outside and into the grass. It was mostly quiet today. Guzma was holed up in his throne room with a hangover yet again and even Plumeria was out and about on the islands. Strelitzia called out her Morelull as Lillie dug through her bag to get out her Nest Ball. Then, tossing it into the air, she called for her pokémon companion, "Come on out, Fomantis! It's training time!" Fomantis chittered excitedly upon release, soaking in the sun's ray's eagerly.  
  
"Ready, Big Sis?"  
  
"Ready, Zi."  
  
Strelitzia nodded, pulling her mask back up over her face to cover her mouth. "Morelull, let's start this one off with Flash!" Strelitzia commanded. Morelull's mushroom like limbs began glowing, until suddenly they flashed brightly, causing Fomantis to flinch and attempt to cover it eyes much too late. It shook it's head, it's vision a bit blurry now from the sudden light. "Fury Cutter!" Lillie commanded. Luckily, Fomantis was able to pin down it's target, slashing into the Morelull with it's pincers.   
  
Morelull cried out in pain, but maintained it's position. "Now, Fomantis, Razor Leaf!" Lillie ordered, wasting no time to secure another hit. "Astonish!" Strelitzia shouted. Morelull darted forward, shouting out loudly to startle the Fomantis. The sudden move caused Fomantis to flinch instead of carrying out it's order. "Good, now use Flash, again!" Strelitzia ordered. Morelull followed suit, disorienting Fomantis's vision even more. It rubbed at it's eyes, trying it's best to adjust to the normal light of the outside.  
  
"Now, use Astonish again!"  
  
"Razor Leaf!"  
  
Fomantis tried to focus on it's target, but failed miserably. Every leaf it tossed towards the Morelull missed completely. Then, the Morelull hit dead-on and left it with more scratches. It winced in pain, growling in irritation. "Fomantis, try to focus! Use Leaf Blade!" Lillie shouted. Fomantis nodded, trying hard to focus on it's target. It managed to pin Morelull down, summoning a glowing green sword and darting forward as it slashed into the Morelull with it.  
  
As expected, the attack barely cut into it's target. But cut it did. Strelitzia giggled mischievously, pointing at the Fomantis eagerly as she shouted her next command. "Morelull, heal yourself with Mega Drain!" she ordered. Morelull began to glow brightly with green aura, as Fomantis found itself unable to move and enveloped in the same aura. It groaned in pain as it's energy was sucked out of it in incredibly small amounts. Lillie winced. Strelitzia had proven to be a tactical trainer. That was obvious since the day before.  
  
However, she relied too much on tactics and not enough on power. In the same token, Lillie relied too much on power and not enough on tactician. They both were well aware of this. And they had a lot to learn from one another. Perhaps from now until the time that Lillie would depart again, they would be able to aid each other's endeavors. Lillie didn't know what Strelitzia strived for, but she was sure it was a worth-while cause as hers. It was for this reason above all, she was a formidable opponent.  
  
"Fomantis, pull yourself together! Razor Leaf!"   
  
"Put it to sleep using Sleep Powder!"  
  
Morelull sprayed a heavy puff of white powder all over the Fomantis. However, it seemed completely unaffected. Strelitzia cried out in confusion, "Eh?! B-But how?!" Lillie smirked, "She's got Leaf Guard, Zi. So long as the sun is burning down real harsh like this, you can't use status conditions to your advantage!" Strelitzia's eyes sparkled as she squeaked in excitement. While she was taken aback by her inability to use her status advantage, she couldn't help but be impressed by her elder sister figure.  
  
"W-Wow, Big Sis! Your Fomantis is so cool!" she praised. Lillie shook her head as Strelitzia allowed herself to be so distracted she didn't even notice when her Fomantis's Razor Leaf hit her Morelull. "You might wanna pay attention, little sis," she pouted. Strelitzia's eyes glinted with determination as she snapped out of it. "Humph! You may have disabled our Sleep Powder, but you still can't make a dent! Morelull, Astonish!" she shouted enthusiastically.  
  
Yet again, the Fomantis was unable to dodge as it flinched from the sudden and startling attack. It was severely damaged now, and it struggled to pick itself back up. "Maaaannnn..." it groaned, it's eye twitching. Lillie flipped her hair back needlessly. Strelitzia had expected her to at least be frustrated. But instead, she scoffed. "Sorry Zi. Afraid you'll have to do better than that. Fomantis, use Synthesis!" Lillie said, smirking smugly as she did so.  
  
Strelitzia gasped in surprise as Fomantis began glowing with green aura as the sun's rays beamed down on it. Then, suddenly, the aura turned brighter. And...white? It consumed Fomantis completely! Both girls raised a brow in confusion. "W-Woah! Synthesis sure is a bright move!" she said, squinting her eyes as she held a hand over her face to shade them. Then, their jaws dropped completely as Fomantis's form began to shift. It wasn't the Synthesis anymore, it was evolving.  
  
It grew considerably taller. The bud on it's head shifted into strange looking ears as limbs grew out of it's cheeks and hung off them. It's claws grew into long arms, and it bloomed a long and large appendage on it's back. The light faded, revealing it's true colors. It had gone from being primarily green to primarily pink and red, only tiny bits of green here or there on it's new form. It's long arms looked much like sickles, and it looked as though it was wearing striped pants over it's legs.  
  
The top half of it's head was a light pink, while the bottom half was white. It had bulbous, rosy red eyes and 2 green antennae with a small, green, and circular lump between them. On the top of it's head were 4 extended limbs, 2 on the top with red tips that appeared to act as ears, and 1 on each side of it's cheeks with white tips that resembled carefully styled hair. It's overall body was a light pink, with wavy, skirt-like extensions around the waist and a green abdomen that matched it's neck.   
  
It's thin, white arms were like large, red scythes with white along the bottom rim and a single green claw on the tip of each one. Along the red pants of it's legs were vertical, pink, thin stripes. It had small, pointed green feet that poked out at the bottom as well. Lastly and most curiously of all, the girls observed 4 red, wing-like appendages sprouting out from it's back, each tipped with white. It was both elegant and deadly looking, the perfect appearance to instill fear in any pokémon.   
  
And Morelull was no exception.  
  
"Wooooow! Big Sis, it's so  _beautiful_! It evolved into a Lurantis!"  
  
"A...Lurantis?"  
  
"It's referred to as the Bloom Sickle Pokémon, I think. They're  _real_ strong!"  
  
"H-How do you feel...Lurantis?"  
  
Lurantis turned to look back at it's trainer. It had no mouth to speak of, but it's eyes shone with glee. It had no wounds on it, indicating that it's Synthesis had indeed done it's job. Lillie smirked and nodded, pointing towards the Morelull. "Alright then! Attack Morelull with Leaf Blade!" she commanded. Lurantis forged a glowing green sword in it's arms, darting forward and swinging it into the Morelull with tremendous force. The Morelull was left significantly damaged, as the hit was incredibly critical.  
  
"U-Use Mega Drain!" Strelitzia clumsily commanded. The Morelull struggled, trying it's hardest to pull energy from Lurantis but just barely managing scraps. It was still much too injured. The healing barely did anything worth bragging about. "U-Uh oh!" Strelitzia stuttered. Lillie kept up her smug look as she began teasing Strelitzia playfully. "Looks like the clock is up for you, little sis! Lurantis, one more time! Leaf Blade!" she bellowed. Lurantis once again slammed the Morelull mercilessly with another blade.  
  
The strong sunlight rejuvenated it immensely, and it's attacks became that much more powerful. As it jumped back, both girls observed the Morelull's swirled eyes. Lillie's smile was bright and pure, as she hugged her Lurantis excitedly. Strelitzia sighed, pouting slightly as she pulled her face mask back down and slumped onto her knees in the grass. She carefully scooped up her Morelull, "Good job out there buddy. We'll get 'em next time, I'm sure." She called it back into her pokéball before standing back up.  
  
She approached Lillie and her newly evolved Lurantis with a bright grin. Lillie was already petting it and feeding it pokébeans. Strelitzia joined in on the affectionate petting, completely taken by the gorgeous creature. "She's a beaut! I'm so glad I finally got to see one for real!" she chirped. Lillie gasped suddenly, realizing something. She turned and began running back towards the mansion. "Lurantis, c'mon!" she called. Lurantis wasted no time following it's master, though curious to her intentions.  
  
"B-Big Sis, wait! Where are you goin'?!"  
  
"I've gotta go show dad! I-I'll be right back!"  
  
Strelitzia tilted her head as she raised a brow, "...'Dad'?"

* * *

  
The boys sat on the deck of the motel munching on their malasadas. They had been watching Eevee and Rockruff spar for a while now, while Pikachu and Crabrawler had a spar of their own a few feet away from them. It was dusk now, as it had been a long day of training. Beside each of them were their bat pokémon. Gladion pet his Golbat unconsciously as he watched his pokémon sparring. He was looking, but his thoughts weren't quite focused on them entirely.  
  
The whole day he had been troubled by thoughts of his sister. He had already grieved, already stood up to her, already failed to convince her. All that was left for him in this was to think about his next move. He wasn't sure he could leave Alola while leaving things the way they were. With Lillie and Cleffy both hating his guts. Without making up for his mistakes. Sure, Lillie was planning to go against their mother. But was it even likely she'd succeed?   
  
...No. No, it wasn't very likely. Even if she trained with the Skull Gang for years on end, it still seemed unlikely to him. The amount of power Lusamine had was unbearable. Not even Lillie could hope to stand against it. Nobody could. There was no escaping it, no matter what way he looked at it. Hau was his friend, and he wanted to keep that. No matter what happened, he had to keep him here with him. Especially now, with how he realized just how fond he was of him.  
  
On these lonely and hellish islands, Hau was his only rock. Or at least, his  _favorite_ rock. If he wanted to stay here, he had to start getting over his fears. And so far, he had managed that. His affection towards Hau had driven him to do reckless things he never would've even considered before. As long as the younger boy was a factor, he was motivated to stand against the barriers that were closing in on him. He couldn't help but feel grateful to have spent such time with Hau until now.  
  
There was no denying it. He had changed Gladion. And for the better. He knew deep down that Lillie was right about him. He had broken when he should've kept himself together. No longer would he play the helpless coward. He had to be better than that. Hau, Moon, Hala, everyone who had helped him thus far...they didn't deserve to be stepping stones to his selfish goals. He'd be no better than Lusamine if he used them to his own ends. No matter what way he cut it, his previous way of thinking was selfish.  
  
It was selfish, ridiculous, and detrimental. Standing with others, allowing others to protect him and doing the same in turn had proven to be a viable option at last. He was ready to accept this now. And yet, something still felt wrong. That look in Cleffy's eyes...his  _sister's_ eyes. They had haunted him the past couple of days. The night before he had woken in a vivid night terror. Thankfully, as usual, Hau was there to calm him quickly. But he didn't dare tell the younger boy the true nature of it.  
  
As his thoughts clouded into a small storm, he came to a conclusion. He had to set things right. Before it was too late. Before Lillie got herself hurt. Maybe he could convince her to come with them. Or run away like he had attempted. Perhaps it'd be best if she stayed where she already was, too. Though that last option was doubtful to him. Even  _if_ she believed they valued her as family. Besides, he knew she would only become more and more of a bother. More of a block in their path.  
  
_...But...  
  
_He turned his head to look at Hau who was munching quietly on his malasada. Every now and then he make excited noises at the spectacle he was beholding. But that was only natural. Both matches tended to get heated at times. Gladion's face flushed as another thought came to the front of his mind. Before anything else, he had to figure out how to tell Hau the truth. Perhaps after he finished his training, he could finally come clean. He gently grabbed Hau's hand, and Hau unconsciously returned the gesture by entangling their fingers.  
  
His dark eyes locked with his emerald ones. His thoughts scattered again as he struggled to think of something to say. Hau giggled at the cute expression, "What's that look for? Did we accidentally swap malasadas~?" The blonde shook his head and chuckled nervously, "N-No. It's nothing. I'm just glad I came on this journey with you even if I can't do much." Hau's smile faded as his eyes sparkled. His face flushed this time as he tilted his head curiously.  
  
"Y...You are?"  
  
"Of course I am. You're my friend."  
  
"I don't think I'll ever get used to you saying that!" Hau chuckled.  
  
"Heh heh...yeah. I've been a real stubborn ass, haven't I?"  
  
"The stubbornest."  
  
"I don't think that's a word, Hau..."  
  
"It totally is!"  
  
Gladion smiled bemusingly as he stifled his chuckles, "Alright alright, you win." Hau beamed, narrowing his eyes as he looked down at his feet shyly. "Still...it means a lot to me. I was worried when you said you wanted to leave..." he muttered, frowning at the last statement. Gladion frowned as guilt washed over him. He winced a bit. He couldn't let his mistakes falter his judgement now. His grip on Hau's hand tightened as he let out a deep breath.  
  
"I just...want you to be safe," he admitted. The younger boy blinked up at him. "...You've really changed, you know that?" he asked. Gladion's look turned sheepish as he blushed. "O-Oh...is that so? I hope that's a good thing," he muttered. Hau chuckled, nestling his head against Gladion's shoulder again. "Of course it is, silly! I'm glad I could help you become a strong trainer," he insisted. Gladion blinked at him. He still seemed uncertain. However, he was too flustered by the contact to retort.  
  
The sun had set now, and the full moon was rising high into the sky. Golbat and Noibat both began flying into the skies together, almost as if dancing in a strange romantic tango. They were careful however, to steer clear of the sparring pokémon down below. Hau and Gladion both noticed this, and their eyes were pulled upwards as they marveled at the night sky. They watched as their pokémon fluttered together in the skies. Noibat was significantly smaller now, but it still seemed happily in love with it's mate.  
  
The spectacle gave Gladion an idea. Suddenly, he stood up, simultaneously pulling Hau onto his feet. Hau blinked at him curiously, "What're you doing?" Gladion smirked flirtatiously, "I was just thinking perhaps we should join them." Hau's face flushed as his face turned sheepish. He blinked frantically as his heart skipped a beat. "B-But I dunno any fancy dances. I kinda make most of 'em up as I go along," he admitted. Gladion chuckled, "Then we'll both make it up."  
  
And truly, it was a most unconventional dance. Neither of them were quite sure what they were doing, but eventually they both grew comfortable enough to enjoy it. They eventually even burst out into laughter, each trying to imitate different dances in a weird mess of movement. But they didn't care. They were too entranced in each other's eyes to realize how ridiculous they looked. Suddenly, however, as Gladion attempted to do a dipping motion, he stumbled and sent both of them onto the floor again.  
  
They continued to laugh, totally oblivious to the way they were positioned. Gladion snickered as he wiped a joyful tear from his eye, "W-We're  _really_ bad at this, huh~?" Hau nodded as he beamed, "Totally! I think we should call that one The Spaghetti Slide!" They laughed again, their faces flushing as they wheezed and their sides began to ache. Eventually, however, they both calmed. Finally, they noticed how they were positioned. Once again, Gladion was on top of Hau, propping himself up on his arms.  
  
They gazed at each other adoringly, each too nervous to move as they blinked at each other. The older boy pouted, "S...Sorry. For falling on you, I mean. I should really stop tripping us like this..." Hau shook his head, "No, it's...it's ok. I...I don't mind." The statement was curious. It raised one of Gladion's brows, but he wasn't able to formulate a proper response to it. His mind began racing as his heart did, trying to think of an explanation to this. Hau slowly reached one of his hands up, gently brushing the blonde's bangs out of his face. Gladion drew in a sharp breath at this.  
  
However, they were both pulled out of it as suddenly a loud explosion caused them both to jump. They looked up, sitting up and getting off each other quickly to see Rockruff and Eevee had collided. They were growling at each other, and they were completely roughed up. Suddenly, they both began glowing brightly until they were wrapped completely in a white light. Strangely, the moon's beams seemed to shine down on them as if a sign from the heavens themselves.  
  
Hau's eyes sparkled with stars as he let out a long gasp. Gladion's jaw dropped as his eyes widened. Both pokémon's forms began to shift simultaneously, their heads still pressed against each other. Eevee's ears shifts, thinning out and shifting closer together. The rest of it's body slimmed as well, as it grew a bit taller than it was before. Finally, it's tail shrunk down a bit, but still maintained a large consistency.  
  
Rockruff's form grew much,  _much_ taller than Eevee's. It almost seemed tall enough to stand head-to-head with one of the boys. It's quadruped form changed dramatically, instead shaping itself into a more bipedal creature. It's tail shrunk, and it seemed to grow hair out of it's back and over the top of it's head. It's muzzle extended, and it's cheeks grew a bit fluffier than they were before. It didn't take long for the light to fade, and the two pokémon finally jumped off of each other as they breathed heavily.  
  
Eevee's caramel coat was now a deep ebony. It's once brown eyes were now a menacing red that gleamed brightly in the darkness. Around it's tail and ears was a yellow ring-like stripe. On it's shoulders, flanks, and forehead were yellow rings that were so brightly contrasting they also seemed to glow. It's long bangs were now only curtaining half of it's eyes. However, it still seemed to greatly impede it's vision despite this. It looked over itself curiously, before jumping in surprise at Rockruff's new form.  
  
It's brown coat was new a deep and dark red. It was hunched over, and it's blue and beady eyes were now a menacing and maniacal looking red. It had a wide and sharply toothed grin that un-nerved the surrounding pokémon greatly. It's lower legs were splotched with white, and a matching white streak covered it's face, stomach, and tail. There were 3 large tufts of fur on each side of its face, and it's pink nose had now darkened to a deep black.   
  
Slumped over it's head in a resemblance to that of a crescent moon was a brand new mane of fur that covered it's back and shoulders. A single patch of rock hung off the end of a particular tip at the top of it's head. On either side of it's body, just below it's shoulders, 2 small rocks that resembled claws poked out of it's fur. On each of it's paws was 3 black and sharp claws. It was a most frightening sight for anyone stumbling around unsuspectingly at night.  
  
Both boys took in the new sights that beheld them, before rushing forward to check on the pokémon before them. All the sparring had completely ceased, including that of Pikachu and Crabrawler's match as they all gathered around them curiously. They began communicating with one another, and Gladion was completely flabbergasted. "They...both evolved! But why?" Gladion asked. Hau beamed at him, "It was probably because of the full moon!"  
  
Gladion raised a brow at this as he sneered in confusion. "The full moon? You mean...the moon can affect evolution too?" he asked. Hau nodded, raising an index finger as he began explaining, "Y'see, Rockruffs are a real special breed of pokémon. They evolve depending on the time of day. It's second evolution is always known as Lycanroc, but they come in different forms. This is what we'd call the Midnight Form." Gladion ran a hand through his hair as he attempted to process this. "Y-You don't say..." he muttered. Hau nodded, continuing his explanation.   
  
"Yup! And when you evolve an Eevee at night, that's what we call an Umbreon!"  
  
"So they both evolved at the same time...because of the full moon. I think I get it now."  
  
"I think Umbreon is a Dark Type if I remember correct."  
  
"And what about Lycanroc?"  
  
"He's just a Rock Type still. It's type isn't really dependent on it's forms like you might think. Dusk Form Lycanrocs are  _real_ rarities here, though."  
  
Gladion was only half paying attention now, as he began tending to his pokémon's wounds with potion sprays. He each fed them specially colored pokébeans that they devoured eagerly. Gladion mustered a weak smile, "You guys did good today. I'm glad you both got stronger from all this training. Why don't we take a rest for the night, though? I say you've more than earned it." The pokémon all chittered happily in agreement as they headed for the motel room. Hau chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck.  
  
"If this keep up, we won't have enough room to let them all out at our stops!"  
  
"I guess so...I wouldn't worry about it too much for now, though."  
  
"Midnight Lycanrocs are a lot taller than I imagined. I think it was even taller than  _me_!"  
  
"No shock there.  _I'm_ taller than you," Gladion snarked, leaning one of his arms on Hau's head.  
  
Hau pouted, "That's only cause you've got 2 years on me!"  
  
Gladion chuckled, taking his arm off of Hau before holding his hands up. "Ok ok, calm down. I was just teasing! Besides...I think you look a lot cuter down there~" he cooed, giving Hau a flirtatious look that sent chills up his spine. His face flushed as his eyes twinkled again. He chased after Gladion, desperately grabbing onto his hand. It was getting harder and harder for him to suppress his feelings with the strange way Gladion looked at him lately. As they entered their motel room, he began to wonder.  
  
_Could he really be feeling the same way...?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? Another Chibi? And it's Strelitzia? >w>  
> https://www.deviantart.com/artgurusauce/art/Strelitzia-802123387
> 
> Also 3 evolutions in one chapter? Wow, I must be _insane_! ;w;


	40. Chapter 39 - There's A Boy I Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys decide to take a day to relax and meet Hau's mother, and the meeting isn't quite exactly what Gladion was expecting as he finds out more and more about Hau's mother.

Hau slowly sat up upon waking, blinking and rubbing at his eyes tiredly. He could hear the unmistakable sound of pokémon being called back into their pokéballs. As he looked up, he noticed Gladion was already up and dressed. Still groggy, he moaned lowly as he spoke, "Glad, what're you doin'...?" Gladion turned to look back at Hau just as he called his Null back into it's ball. "Oh, you're awake. I was just getting ready for our trip today," he explained. Hau raised a brow at this.  
  
"Trip...?" he questioned. Gladion blushed and frowned sheepishly as he realized Hau was still disoriented. "S-Sorry. What I meant was...I think I've got enough training in for now. I was thinking it'd be nice if we go out today and..." he trailed off. Hau began to wake a little more. He blinked curiously. Gladion swallowed hard, "...I thought, maybe we could go see your mother today." The younger boy was fully awake now as his eyes widened. Hau's Pikachu jumped up onto the bed, it's ears twitching eagerly.  
  
To the blonde's surprise, Hau smiled. "Sure," he said simply. Lycanroc was sat on the couch watching the television. In it's claws, it somehow held the remote. It barked lightly as Hau's Eevee jumped up beside it curiously. Torracat joined in to watch the program as well. The group was still not yet accustomed to the werewolf like creature that was once a tiny puppy at their own eye levels. Torracat huffed, agitated it was now much smaller in comparison to the creature.  
  
Lycanroc paid it no mind, seeming entranced by the TV screen as it played a childish cartoon. They began swaying their heads to the musical intro, even Lycanroc. Gladion couldn't help but snort. However, it didn't take long for Hau to get dressed before he began calling back his own pokémon. He approached the couch, leaning over to look down at his Eevee and Torracat. "Alright guys, time to go. You can watch your show later," Hau said, as he held up Eevee's pokéball.  
  
Eevee didn't seem to mind much, happily allowing itself to be put away. Torracat however began whining as Lycanroc growled. However, it stopped and yelped in pain as Gladion smacked it's nose with a rolled up magazine off the coffee table. "No! Bad dog! Now turn off the TV, we're heading outside," he scolded with a pout on his face. Lycanroc rubbed it's nose, grumbling under it's breath as it complied with it's master's orders before putting the remote on the coffee table and standing up off the couch.  
  
Torracat jumped down as well, shaking it's body around to fling any dust off of it's fur. The boys shuffled out the door with their pokémon, heading further along their path to reach a shortcut to Paniola Town. It was a little rocky and hard to traverse, but they both kept their hold on each other's hand to ease their worries. At least Gladion had the assurance his Lycanroc would be able to help them out if they managed to stumble and fall. Luckily, however, that didn't happen.  
  
With minimal error, they had made it back onto Route 5. However, they found it was pretty much impossible to go back the way that they came. Despite the fall not being deep enough to break their limbs or even sprain them, it was too high up to climb themselves. Even  _if_ Lycanroc could manage to get up to the top. Which it seemed it could not. Hau pouted, "Shoot...it'll take forever to get back the other way. Oh wait! I know! We can just use a Charizard with the ride pager!"  
  
"A...Charizard?"  
  
"It's an air taxi. It flies you around and gets you pretty much anywhere real quick. It can even get to the other islands in a fraction of the time it takes ferries to get there."  
  
"A... _Air_ t-taxi...?!"  
  
"Hanini? What's the matter?"  
  
"W-Well I...I'm sort of... _scared_...of heights."  
  
"...Oh. Geez! I-I'm sorry, Hanini! I didn't even think about that."  
  
Gladion swallowed hard, forcing himself to calm down. He grabbed Hau's hand again and took a deep breath. Hau smiled warmly, "Hey...you won't have to worry. I won't let you fall off it, ok? You can hold onto me the whole way home." The offer made the older boy's face flush, but he didn't object. Instead he nodded, "C...Can I?" Hau nodded back, "Of course, Hanini! Anything to make things more comfortable for ya!" Gladion didn't return the smile, but he seemed satisfied with the answer.  
  
They continued onward, quickly passing through Route 5 and reaching the Breeding Center once again. The same southern girl was stood outside with her Miltank. She looked up, recognizing the pair almost instantly. "Oh, hey there boys! Long time no see! Ya come back to leave some pokémon with us for a little while?" she propositioned. Gladion shook his head, "No. We were just on our way back to Paniola Town." She nodded thoughtfully, "I see, I see. And how are them eggs I gave ya?"  
  
Hau beamed eagerly, "Oh! They hatched just fine. They were both Eevees. One of them evolved last night! It's an Umbreon now! Mine is still training, but I'm sure it'll evolve soon. They've been really well-behaved!" The southern girl pushed her hat up out of her eyes and face as she blinked in bewilderment. "Well I'll be! Looks like I made the right call pickin' out you two young men to take care of 'em! Keep trainin' 'em up nice 'n strong for me, ok?" she said, waving as they began to pass by her.  
  
Hau waved back, "Will do! Thanks, miss!" The older boy rolled his eyes and Hau noticed. He chuckled, "Still a little mad, huh?" Gladion pouted, "Maybe a bit. Am I being petty?" Hau shook his head, looking up thoughtfully as his smile faded. "Nah...I thought it was pretty messed up too. But now they don't gotta worry about it since we're taking care of them," he reassured. Gladion nodded in agreement. As they kept traversing their way through the ranch, only a couple of wild pokémon came at them.  
  
However, they were swiftly scared away by Lycanroc's terrifying appearance. Torracat mewed lowly in annoyance, but there was not much to be done of it. Then after what seemed like ages, they finally re-entered the quiet and western-esque town of Paniola. The blonde looked around a bit, before realizing he had no way of telling which house was the right one. He felt Hau's grip on his hand get tighter, and both their pokémon could sense their unease. They were completely clueless to it.  
  
"...Hey, are you gonna be ok?"  
  
"Y...Yeah. It's just...um...i-it's kind of been a year since I last saw her. She might be a little... _suffocating_."  
  
"Don't worry, I'm right here."  
  
"...Thanks."  
  
Hesitantly, Hau guided the older boy towards one of the houses. It was one of the first on the East side of the town. After much hesitation and another deep breath, Hau knocked on the door. It was silent for a moment. A long,  _long_ moment. He knocked again. Then, the sound of the floatiest woman ever emerged from the other side of the door. "Just a moment~" she cooed. It didn't sound rushed, panicked, or even outright loud. Just soothing to the point of complete mellow.  
  
After a few more minutes, the door knob turned and the door swung open. It was a perfect replica of the photo Gladion had seen so long ago now. She had tan skin, though not nearly as dark as Hau's. Her dark green hair was so long and messy, and her bangs almost completely covered her brown eyes. She was dressed in V-neck shirt with long and over sized sleeves that dangled off her arms. And her pants looked much like pajama pants, with waves at the bottom of them. Lastly, she was wearing socks underneath her sandals.  
  
She smiled, though it was still incredibly laid back. "Ohhh~ Hau, my baby boy," she gasped, pulling him into an affectionate hug. The older boy stood back, pulling his hand away from Hau's in an instinctive step back. He blinked, unsure of what to do. Hau pouted in his mother's embrace. "Heyyy, mom..." he muttered awkwardly. She seemed relaxed.  _Too_ relaxed. And not nearly surprised enough as a mother who hadn't seen her young son in what was apparently an entire year.  
  
"What a pleasant gift. Did you take the chakra streams to get here~? Whatever brings you to my sanctuary today, my boy?"  
  
"N-No, mom. I'm just out travelling with a friend. I'm taking my Island Trials. See?" he said, showing off his amulet.  
  
"Ohhh~ What a lovely looking trinket you got there. So you must have a pokémon team now. Come inside, dear, let them all flow freely in the garden~ I wish to meet them~"  
  
"S-Sure. Can my friend come too?"  
  
"But of course~ The stream surely brought him here for a reason."  
  
As they entered the home, Gladion noticed the abundance of plants, most of them looked as if they were starting to wilt. There wasn't much furniture, and the whole place stunk of herbs and incenses that clashed horribly. However, he also noticed a strange pokémon floating about. It was holding a string of flowers that curved around it in a circular shape. It greeted the boys and their pokémon gleefully, seeming just as mellow and laid back as it's supposed trainer.  
  
"I didn't think your mother would have pokémon..." Gladion muttered. Hau pouted, "Yeah. She's got an Oranguru that lives in her garden too. She can't really afford to keep them but she'd rather not get rid of them." The blonde became considerably less comfortable at this. The mere implication on it's own was enough to make him realize how much underlying disdain Hau must've had. And yet still, the situation was almost a completely different angle from his own. He wasn't sure  _what_ to make of it all.  
  
He decided instead to change the subject, "Oranguru?" Hau's eyes lit up. He smiled again which put Gladion's nerves only slightly at ease. "Oh! They're these really smart pokémon that have even learned how to battle! Sometimes they catch their  _own_ pokémon and battle humans!" Hau explained. Gladion blinked sheepishly, "W-Woah! Seriously...?!" Hau nodded, "Yeah! It's really cool! I kind of like my mom's Oranguru. He's pretty cool." Suddenly, Hau's mother stopped in front of a paned glass door.  
  
She turned around to look at them as she pushed it open, revealing a small green house with overgrown plants that were poorly tended. It was oddly larger than it looked from the outside, and surely enough, in a corner sat an Oranguru. Hau's mother smiled at them, "Go ahead and let out all your pokémon back here. They can play while we have some tea~" Hau took out his other pokéballs as Lycanroc and Torracat ran into the garden to check out the Oranguru.  
  
The boys both called out all their pokémon as his mother watched. She rested a hand on her cheek as she observed each of Hau's pokémon carefully. "Wooow, dear. You sure have quite the cute team here. And a nice healthy Tauros too~" she cooed, gently petting the Tauros's horns. It groaned pleasurably at the contact and whacked it's 3 tails against the leaf and hay covered floor. Quickly, she took notice of Gladion's pokémon as well. "Well what do we have here?" she asked, leaning down to look at his Zorua.  
  
"This sure looks like a rare beaut. I ain't ever seen anything like it before~" she chirped. Finally, she took note of Type:Null, who was sat by itself away from the others. It seemed to be observing the surrounding area. For the first time since they had both seen her at the front door, she frowned. Slowly and cautiously approaching the creature, she gently put a hand on it's mask. She closed her eyes, pressing her cheek against the mask as if trying to listen to the creature behind it.  
  
"...This one has suffered great sadness. It's chakras are all discorded. It has been forced onto a painful stream..."  
  
Hau raised a brow at this. He had always believed his mother's chakra stuff was mumbo jumbo. But yet at at times such as this, he couldn't deny her scary accuracy. Gladion gripped the strap of his bag nervously. "...Yeah. You'd be right about that." She turned to look at Gladion, finally seeming to notice that he was even there. It was the most emotion she displayed with surprised eyes. She approached him, cupping his face in her hands. Hau panicked at this, "Ah, mom, that's not-"  
  
"You're on a peaceful stream...but you are still suffering discourse. Perhaps you should consider sharing your path with the one you are reaching for."  
  
Strangely, he could perfectly understand what she was saying. Still, however, he was left speechless. Hau was left to assume he was uncomfortable and he pouted at his mother again as he pulled Gladion away from her. "Mom, he doesn't believe in that stuff. Don't scare him!" he scolded. Slowly, she smiled again as she giggled. Was it just a faze after all? "Oh~ Forgive me, it's been a while since I've sensed such bloated energy. Perhaps some of my tea will ease the discourse flowing through him~" she said.  
  
Hau rolled his eyes, but reluctantly complied with the suggestion. The boys shuffled out of the greenhouse garden and back into the home, sitting on the beaten up and dusty couch with great hesitance. Gladion took Hau's hand again, and he blushed as Hau rubbed against his palm with his thumb. He nuzzled the top of Hau's head as he whispered softly to him, "Hey...talk to me." Hau blushed. The contact brought him an immense amount of comfort. He nestled his cheek against the older boy's shoulder.  
  
"Sorry about that...she can get really weird."  
  
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure she was just trying to be friendly."  
  
"Yeah...I guess she doesn't really get it."  
  
"We can leave whenever you want, you know."  
  
"N-No! No...I'm fine. I can do this. Besides, she's not doing it on purpose."  
  
They were interrupted as the flowery pokémon drifted down towards them. It released it's string of flowers overtop of Gladion's head. Upon closer inspection, most of the flowers were wilting. Much like most of the plants that were inside the home. It gazed at them both with a seemingly tired expression, before going off and picking new flowers off the dying potted plants. Gladion blinked, "Do you...know what pokémon  _that_ is, by any chance?"   
  
"It's a Comfey~" Hau's mother's melodic voice emerged, as she placed a tray of tea down onto the coffee table in front of them. The blonde looked up at her curiously with a brow raised, "A Comfey?" She nodded, "It likes to collect flowers it likes. Usually hibiscuses. Though I don't really grow those here, so it usually takes sunflowers or roses." Comfey beamed a bit as it gently picked new flowers for it's collection. Gladion looked down at the tea and noticed it looked much like Hau's tea.  
  
"Did you make this yourself?" he asked. She nodded, "Mmhm. It's my special recipe. It helps keep your dreams real peaceful by soothing your body and mind~" Hau rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he blushed, "Y-Yeah, I learned how to make it from her, actually. It is surprisingly really relaxing stuff." The blonde's eyes lit up, "Oh, I see." The woman tilted her head curiously at her son. She seemed surprised to hear this turn of events, "Truly, Hau? You've been sharing our recipe?"  
  
"He's a little antsy."  
  
"Well, I suppose it was the right call with how discorded his chakras are."  
  
"Mom, I already told you, he doesn't believe in that stuff."  
  
"Hmm~ Oh, where are my manners? My name is Iolana. And you are~?"  
  
Gladion looked up at her again, "O-Oh. It's...Hanini." Her eyes lit up for a moment, yet another unexpected bout of emotion on her face. "Ohhh, Hanini? Such a  _beautiful_ name~" she complimented, sitting down across from them as she grabbed her own cup. "You know, I named my son Hau because his father and I were actually struggling to have kids for a while..." she admitted. Gladion lifted a brow at this. Hau's face flushed in embarrassment, " _Mooom_...!"  
  
"Do not feel such negative emotions, my son~ Let your inner peace flooowww like a river~" she insisted. Gladion was still intrigued by the mention of Hau's name. Reluctantly, he prodded, "What does Hau's name mean?" Iolana smiled brightly at the question. Almost as if she was hoping he would ask. "Why, it means 'Wish'. Just before I was pregnant with him, Kawika and I wished on a Minior for a baby boy. And viola~ The cosmos answers our prayers~" she sighed dreamily.  
  
"That...sounds really nice, actually," he thought. Iolana tilted her head curiously, "However did  _your_ parents come up with such a beautiful name? It's so soothing, like a summer breeze~" Both boys nearly bit their tongues at the question. Fortunately, Hau was able to formulate a believable explanation. "W-Well, let's just say, he's kind of a grumpy guy sometimes," Hau chuckled. Iolana seemed confused at first, but she accepted it with a shrug. Putting her tea back down, she glanced at Hau again.  
  
"So, you boys are on your Island Challenge. What fun~ You've grown up sooo quickly. And your pokémon are  _very_ strong. Does that mean you passed your grandfather's trial?"  
  
"Actually...yeah, I did. But it wasn't easy."  
  
"Easy is subjective, dear~ Ohhh, but I do so wish you could've waited a bit longer. I'm sure your father would've loved to see it."  
  
"Yeah...I'm... _sure_ he would."  
  
Suddenly Hau stood up, much to Gladion's surprise. "Um, excuse me for a second, mom. I need to use the bathroom," he said. Iolana nodded, "Same place as always, dear~" Gladion was a bit nervous to be left alone with this woman, but he calmed himself quickly by rationalizing the situation. Obviously she wasn't hostile. Just  _really_ weird. Really,  _really_ weird. But she seemed like a nice woman, even if she was a bit oblivious. However, he wasn't expecting it when she sparked up conversation with him yet again.  
  
"So...you're travelling with my son."  
  
"Y...Yes. I'm not taking the trials like he is. I'm just-"  
  
"Running away with him...?"  
  
The older boy's eyes widened. Did she really just say that? Perhaps he had misheard. He must have, right? He looked up at her again. She was frowning now. "I...I'm sorry, what?" he stuttered. She tilted her head again and sighed, "Ohhh, I've missed so much. My little boy has already found a partner. And such a devoted one too~" His face flushed. How was the woman reading him so accurately? Was all her talk about chakras viable after all? He began to sweat again.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. Your discourse tells me you've had quite enough of  _that_. I just want you to tell me one thing," she assured. Despite her assurance, he was still nervous. What is it that she needed  _him_ to tell her? Was she paranoid that he might get Hau in trouble? She didn't wait for a response before she continued. "...Are you in love with my son?" she asked, bluntly. His face flushed again as his mind began screaming at him with all sorts of alarms.  
  
He didn't answer verbally. He simply nodded. She finally smiled, "Do me a favor, and stay devoted~ He could use someone like you always looking out for him. He's always been a terribly over-trusting boy." Gladion blinked at this, before nodding again. He gripped the leg of his pants tightly as he did so. Suddenly, in hearing her say this, he had somehow made up his mind. Everything he had been thinking about the past couple of days lined up into one motion. He knew what he had to do now.  
  
Their conversation was interrupted as Hau returned. He was sporting a strained smile as he grabbed Gladion's hand and pulled him up. "Uhhh, hey mom, I just remembered. We wanted to go out and do some stuff today sooo, we're just gonna head out now." Iolana frowned, "Oh, must the stream take you along so soon~? Oh, well, enjoy yourselves, boys. And take good care of your pokémon. I hope you can visit again soon~" After giving Hau one more forced hug, she guided them back to the greenhouse to collect their pokémon.  
  
Iolana giggled at the sight they all beheld as they opened the door. Everyone seemed incredibly mellow now. Null and Lycanroc both were teasing Torracat with their claws in a playful game. Noibat was cuddled beside Golbat on the ceiling, dangling upside down and seeming to have fallen asleep. Zorua, Pikachu, and Eevee were all gathered in a meditative circle around Umbreon who was humming lightly to soothe them. While Crabrawler was attempting to climb the vines and failing miserably.  
  
Then lastly, there was Tauros, who was being served a strange looking drink by Oranguru. The cup was stuck to it's nose as it slurped up the delicious liquid. Their attentions were all caught up as the boys and Iolana entered the room. One by one, each pokémon was called back into their pokéballs until only Lycanroc and Torracat remained again. They both snapped out of their game, jumping to their feet and approaching their trainers in full attention.  
  
Lycanroc stole the flower crown off it's master's head, fiddling with it until it placed the accessory on it's own head. It seemed pleased as it grinned with a carefree look on it's face. It was the most tame either boy had ever seen the pokémon behave. Iolana lead them all towards the front door again, waving and smiling happy-as-can-be as they began departing. Hau waved back, mustering a sad smile, "Bye mom! We'll be back soon, ok? If you see grandpa, tell 'im I said we're doing fine!"  
  
She nodded, "But of course, my son~ Good luck boys~"  
  
With that, the door shut and she was gone again. Both boys let out a long and drawn out sigh of relief. Hau ran his free hand through his hair with a sheepish look. "Arceus, that was  _so_ embarrassing!" he whined. Gladion thought for a moment, before he spoke up again, "Hey." Hau looked up at him curiously. "Why don't we just...go hang out in Heahea City for a while? Maybe we could...go to the beach?" he suggested. Hau beamed at the idea and nodded as he eagerly began tugging Gladion along.  
  
"You know what? That sounds like the best idea I've heard all day."  
  


* * *

  
It was close to night time now. They had ended up back in Heahea City yet again as they approached a beachfront by a platform where a few tables were set up. They both sat down eagerly, their feet aching from all the walking they had been doing up to this point. They both sighed in relief as they tossed their bags onto the table. Hau slumped his chin onto his arms, sliding across the table slightly as he moaned tiredly. Gladion rested a hand on his cheek boredly, staring out at the beach and ocean.  
  
"Maaan...there were a lot more wild pokémon out than usual today."  
  
"You're telling me...even Lycanroc was starting to get tired back there."  
  
"Guess it's better that we give 'em a rest for now."  
  
Suddenly, the boys snapped out of their state of exhaustion as they heard a strange noise. They looked up and both their jaws nearly hit the floor. Dancing about in the skies along the beach was the island Tapu, Tapu Lele. It hummed joyously, almost as if celebrating something. As it turned, it noticed the boys sitting together and tilted it's head at them curiously. Hau beamed and waved at it, "Hi there! Don't mind us!" Tapu Lele blinked, before tilting it's head back up.   
  
Being a guardian, it was easily capable of sensing the emotions of humans. And while usually guileless and unintentionally rough, even Lele understood things like compassion or love. The more mischievous part of it began to formulate a plan most devious. It continued dancing about, putting on something of a spectacle for the boys as it muffled excitedly. "Puuuu~!" it cried. Hau chuckled at the adorable sight, totally oblivious to it's intentions.   
  
He glanced over at his older friend, and was surprised to see a genuine smile on his face. He gasped lightly, "H-Hanini!" Immediately, the older boy's smile fell. The tone was not one he could recognize right away, so he assumed something was wrong. He quickly snapped his head towards Hau, "Wh-what? What's wrong?!" Hau pouted. He groaned aloud to himself, "Awww, man! You just had a smile on your face!" Gladion's expression calmed, though he still seemed surprised.  
  
He gently touched his own cheek, looking down slightly in thought. Had he really been so distracted lately? Sure, it was hard not to smile around him. At least...he was sure he was aware of it most of the time. He couldn't remember. Before he met Hau, smiling was as rare as the sighting of a legendary pokémon. And the past couple of days, his thoughts had him so distracted he had hardly even noticed at all. Was that why he was so surprised by it? Or maybe he had been acting off today...  
  
"Ah...? I...did...?" he muttered. Hau groaned again, "Me and my big mouth...! I just got  _excited_!" Gladion raised a brow at this. He looked up at Hau, bewildered. "What's so exciting about it?" he asked. The younger boy's pout eased up as he lifted his head. He blushed a little, but not enough to be noticed. "It just looks really nice when you smile like that..." he admitted. The older boy blushed as his cheeks became warm. He looked away, pulling his hand away from his face slowly and putting it down on the table.  
  
He smiled shyly without realizing it, "Then...I'll have to try harder to do it more often, I suppose." Hau had learned from his lesson this time, and didn't mention it. He simply beamed back at Gladion eagerly. Tapu Lele noticed this, and blinked again. "Pu...?" it muttered, trying to think of a better way to spice up it's show. Then, it got an idea. Spinning around and raising it's arms in the air, it timed it's movements perfectly as the moon rose up into the sky.  
  
Sprinkling an area of what appeared to be some glittery array of sparkles, it lit up the night sky like a beacon. It was almost as if it were creating stars. Hau was the first to notice as he lifted his head up again, "Huh...?" He grinned as his eyes gleamed with elation. "Wow...! Cool...!" he squeaked. The older boy looked up at the spectacle as well, staring intently at it. He had definitely never seen anything like it before. It was almost comparable the Minior Showers he had watched with Hau before.  
  
Hau was so distracted by it, he didn't notice when his hand grazed Gladion's on the table. But the older boy noticed almost immediately. His face turned bright red as he tore his eyes off of Tapu Lele to glance at the table where their hands were. He wasn't sure why he felt so anxious about it this time. They had held hands before. What was the difference now? His eyes narrowed as his thoughts became less clouded. He knew what it was. Gently, he took Hau's hand in his while he was distracted.  
  
The more direct touch caught the younger boy's attention. His brows raised and his smile faded, only now realizing he was being touched. He turned his head down towards the table as well, and blushed wildly at the sight of their hands together. He too, was unsure of why it felt so different tonight. He turned his head up to look at the older boy. He was still gazing down at their hands. Almost as if he was deep in thought. But before he could even attempt to get his attention, Gladion's eyes moved up.  
  
His eyes widened as soon as they locked with Hau's. Almost as if startled to see him looking back so suddenly. Hau blinked slowly. His heart was fluttering wildly. Everything about this moment felt right, but...could he really do it? Was now even the time? He wasn't really sure. Yet still, he knew he had to work up the courage eventually. He smiled sheepishly as he looked away from Gladion again. The older boy noticed when his grip became a little tighter.   
  
"You know, I'm glad we came out here today. I've...been really worried about you. I know you've been through a lot, but you've come a lot farther than you might think. I...I appreciate that you came with me to see my mother today. Even if you felt kind of awkward, hehe..."  
  
Gladion's heart was racing faster than it ever had before. His thoughts were completely clear now. He knew what he needed to do. It was now, or it was never. And he couldn't take never without at least trying. Even if he couldn't know about his plan, he deserved to know how he truly felt. He narrowed his eyes at Hau, before taking a deep breath.  _Here goes nothing..._ he thought. Slowly, he brought his free hand up and gently brushed it against Hau's cheek. The suddenly intimate contact caught the younger boy off-guard.  
  
His face flushed and his mind almost shut off completely as he stumbled to think of a response. He stared at Gladion with shock and surprise. "Hanini...?" he whispered, his tone absolutely inflamed. Without saying a word, Gladion slowly began leaning his face in. Hau's thoughts went back into a full-blown panic. Was this really happening? Was this what he thought it was? Is this why everything felt so different? He didn't hesitate to lean in as well to meet the older boy half way. Gladion opened his mouth, quietly muttering in a tone that nearly made Hau's heart explode.   
  
"Hau...I-"  
  
"He-e-ey! You guys! Zzt! It's getting la-a-ate! You should probably head home whi-i-ile you still can!"  
  
Rotom's digitized voice suddenly entered the fray, completely breaking the boys out of the moment. Their eyes widened and they both gasped in embarrassment and absolute horror. Almost immediately, Gladion pulled himself off of Hau and turned himself completely away from him. His face was completely red and he felt ashamed. He covered his mouth, shaking slightly as he tried not to go into a panic attack. What was he thinking?! Was he  _trying_ to make things more complicated?  
  
Hau was still in utter shock. He had no reply or even a thought. Just stunned silence. But deep down, he felt gutted at the sudden tear between him and the older boy. Tapu Lele witnessed the entire disaster, and scowled at it's cheeks puffed. In a fit of irritation and rage, it threw a ball of energy towards Rotom. Thankfully, he managed to dodge as the ball hit a potted plant behind him. However, he was still utterly shaken by the sudden attack. He began frantically flailing in panic.  
  
"Wah! The Guardian's wra-a-ath is showering down upon me! What did I do?! Zzt!" he yelped. Moon stepped outside of the Pokémon Center behind him, raising a brow at her Rotomdex impatiently. "Rotom! What the hell are you  _doing_ out here?!" she snapped. Rotom hung low in shame and embarrassment as he floated over to Moon. "I-I just noticed the boys were out here really late. I thought maybe they had lost track of time," he muttered. Moon glanced over and noticed the boys sat beside each other.  
  
She raised a brow worriedly, "What's up with Mr Sunshine? Did something happen?" Rotom beeped curiously, "I'm not sure." Moon rolled her eyes, approaching the boys as she crossed the street to get to them. She smiled at them, "Well ain't this just a beautiful night tonight? Watcha doin' all the way out here? You know the only way to get back to your motel this late is on a Charizard, right?" Hau was snapped out of it by his friend's voice, and he nervously chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck.  
  
"O-Oh gee, I guess you're right! Sorry, we got distracted with Tapu Lele!"  
  
"Tapu Lele? She was here?"  
  
" _Was_?"  
  
Moon looked around the entire beach as she sneered, "Well...I don't see 'er anywhere." Hau looked up as well, as did Gladion who was finally pulled out of his fit as this. They both stared on curiously as they found she was right. Tapu Lele had all but disappeared completely. Rotom piped up in defense of them, "I-I-It  _was_ here! I saw it! It tri-i-ied to kill me! Zzt!" Moon pouted at him, "Oh  _yeah_? And what did  _you_ do to piss it off anyways? I thought I told you not to make trouble!"  
  
"I didn't! Pro-o-omise! It was out of nowhere!"  
  
"Hmmm...well, I can't  _prove_ that you did anything wrong. Anyways, you boys really should hurry home."  
  
"W-Will do, Moon. See you tomorrow!" Hau said, waving nervously as she and her Rotomdex departed. He sighed in slight relief, however, once she was gone, he was also forced to think of how to approach things. He had no idea what the moment between him and the older boy just was. He wondered, should he pick up where it had left off? Maybe it was better to just save it for the motel room. Or perhaps...he should just let it go altogether. Gladion seemed shaken by something right now.  
  
He stood up off his chair as he pushed it out, grabbing his backpack off the table and putting it back on. He turned to look at his older friend expectantly, "Well, you heard her. We should probably get home. Remember, if you get scared, you can just hold onto me." Gladion stared at him in slight bewilderment. Hau became a bit more anxious at this. Was that the wrong thing to follow up with? Maybe he should've waited for Gladion to speak up first. Then, the blonde shook his head as if to clear his thoughts.  
  
He stood up as well, taking their ride pager out of his bag before slinging it over his shoulder. Without saying a word, he called for their ride before handing the pager back to Hau. It didn't take long for a Charizard to arrive. They both put on the gear it offered them before boarding it. Gladion was hesitant to admit that he was terrified still, but he just wanted this night to be over with already. Hesitantly wrapping his arms around Hau's waist, he suppressed his anxiety the whole ride back as he closed his eyes tightly.  
  
It barely took 10 minutes to reach the motel. Once they had quickly unhooked all their gear and returned it, they sent the Charizard on it's way again. They both went back into their motel room, still hesitant to exchange any words. Gladion left his satchel on the floor by the couch, before sitting down on it and grabbing his blanket. Hau noticed this and raised a brow at him, "Aren't you gonna let your pokémon out?" Gladion sweat a bit, and hoped that Hau didn't notice.  
  
He hesitantly glanced back at him, "I...In the morning. I'm...a little tired." Hau frowned at this. But he didn't make any argument as Gladion laid down on the couch. He felt utterly embarrassed and foolish at this point. However, something in the back of his head was screaming at him. Screaming that something was off. He approached the bed, placing his backpack on the floor gently. Turning off the lights, he climbed into bed. He glanced at Gladion one last time, before he closed his eyes.  
  


* * *

  
All was dark and quiet, as it should have been. All except, for the barely audible foot steps that seemed to be like explosions. At least, that's how it felt for the older boy as he even resorted to ceasing his breathing to remain silent. His head was completely empty of thought. He didn't want to think. If he thought, he'd probably turn right back around and go back to bed. He'd forget about this admittedly stupid plan and just try talking to Hau again in the morning. But he didn't want to.  
  
However, he was caught frozen as the motel room light burned away all the darkness of the night. He didn't dare turn around. He began sweating profusely. Suddenly, his mind was filled with all sorts of thoughts. He began regretting his decision on the spot. He should've waited a little longer. Then he started wondering what else he did wrong. Maybe he was just a lighter sleeper than he thought he was. Then, a seemingly obvious possibility dawned on him. Just as he was about to realize it, Hau's voice pulled him out of his head.  
  
"Gladion?"  
  
He could hear the confusion and hurt in his voice. New thoughts started to enter his mind. How could he be so cold? The least he could do was look his friend in the eye, for Arceus sake! He hesitantly turned around, and his own guilt and shame was stamped all over his face. As soon as they locked eyes, Hau's widened. His earlier suspicions, he didn't want them to be true, but that look in the older boy's eyes was no lie. His heart sank. For once, he  _hated_ that he was right.  
  
"Why are you leaving...?"  
  
It was the exact question that Gladion didn't want to hear him say. The exact 4 words he knew he couldn't handle. This was why he didn't want to change his mind, to talk to him. He'd have no chance to do what he had to do. He shook his head, turning away from Hau again. He couldn't possibly look him in the eye right now. He had already tried to justify all this in his head. He had to think of some way to deter him. "You wouldn't get it...and even if you did, you won't stop me."  
  
Out of all the responses Hau had been expecting, this one broke him the most. Suddenly, he felt something he hadn't felt in quite a long time. The first time he could recall feeling upset like this was when Moon had rescued Gladion on the bridge. He was... _angry_? He couldn't stop himself, as he suddenly rushed forward and grabbed Gladion's wrist. "The hell I can't!" he shouted, prompting Gladion to look at him again, though hesitantly as he froze into place. His eyes were wide with shock.  
  
Things had escalated so quickly. In the case of being caught, he had anticipated Hau being upset. But he had never seen him be so furious before. Briefly, it reminded him of his own sister. And the sickening thought only made things worse. As he remained silent with his panicked thoughts, Hau only became more impatient. "Tell me!" he demanded, still not letting loose on the blonde's wrist. Gladion shook his head again, before mustering the best glare he could. He couldn't waste time doing this.  
  
"Hau...l-let go," he said, struggling to even ask his friend to do it. He was burying all his thoughts that he didn't want him to down as far as he could. Yet again, Hau's rage-fueled response just left him too shocked to formulate any words. "No!" he shouted. Hau couldn't even begin to describe how conflicted he was in this moment. Everything had fallen completely out of control in just a couple hours. Where did he go wrong? Was he not supportive enough? What did he do to deserve this?!  
  
"I won't let you be selfish! You  _don't_ get to do this!" The blonde's eyes widened again at this. His thoughts that he had tried so hard to push down were leaking back into his head now. As much as he wanted to repress them, he couldn't. He was unable to react as Hau grabbed his other wrist. "I thought we understood! I thought that after everything we went through you finally stopped  _doing_ this stuff!" he shouted, the confusion even more vibrant in his tone now.  
  
Even now, the older boy tried to deflect this confrontation. He had to do something. If he didn't keep his ground, he'd never be able to go through with this. He  _had_ to do this! What other option was there? "I...I don't know what you're talking about!" he sputtered frantically. He was clearly flustered now, and struggling to keep up his cold front. He hadn't even attempted to act this way for so long now. He had all but forgotten how to stop caring. How to just detach himself from others.  
  
Unknowingly, this attempt to block Hau off only angered him further. The blonde felt the full force of the backfire, as Hau kept shouting angrily. "You're going to deny  _that_ now, too?!" Tears burned at the back of Hau's eyes. He couldn't keep them back much longer. The heat of the moment kept him running his mouth, even against the screaming in his head to stop before he said something he'd regret. But it was too late now. A light whimper escaped his mouth as he spoke up again.  
  
"Do I seriously mean that  _little_ to you?!"  
  
The question completely tore Gladion's walls to the ground. Hau could only sob as they sat in silence for a brief moment. The older boy felt like a fool, like the worst person on the planet. His thoughts were completely flooded with regret now. Still, he was too overwhelmed to even answer the question. Of course, in his head the screaming answer was obvious. Hau began shaking as his head hung a little. It was the first time he ever allowed the older boy to see him at his absolute weakest.  
  
"Tutu saved you...and you didn't trust us but you let us help you. You let  _me_ help you. You let me share things with you and...you told me about your family. I  _trusted_ you with things I've never told anyone before just like you did for me. You let me protect you. I thought...I thought you cared about us. I thought you cared about  _me_."  
  
The older boy had been completely broken now by the younger one's words. All he felt was guilt. Guilt and regret. How could he do this to Hau? What was he thinking? That he was making some bold sacrifice? Doing him a favor?  _Stupid_...he should've known that this would hurt him like this. He wanted desperately to protect Hau from feeling this way, from suffering like this. Some guardian  _he_ turned out to be. Finally, he managed to formulate an honest answer.  
  
"Hau...I-I...I do-"  
  
"No you don't! If you cared you wouldn't leave!"  
  
Hau went back to glaring right at Gladion again. The older boy could only stare in shock. He couldn't even disprove the younger boy. He was right. If he cared, he would've just stayed. Would've just kept confiding in him about his fears as he always had. Hau's lip quivered again as his glare softened. Gladion could feel his grip on his wrists loosen. "You wouldn't..." he trailed off, sounding completely and utterly defeated. He didn't finish, as he buried his wet face in his hands and continued to sob.  
  
Gladion had no idea what he was supposed to do. All his conflicting thoughts were becoming a headache now. All he knew for certain is that Hau was right to be angry. Right to think that Gladion didn't care, that he was selfish. His eyes glazed over, but he didn't shed any tears.  _I just wanted to protect you...but now...I've made things worse!_ he thought. Even now, he was enamored with Hau. He didn't want to let go of him. He didn't want to see him hurt, or upset. He wanted to protect him.  
  
He shook his head. He wouldn't make this mistake again. He grabbed Hau's hands, pulling them off his face as he looked deep into his eyes, "Hey, look at me!" Hau gasped, but was unable to look away from Gladion's mesmerizing eyes. For a moment, it felt like he was back on the beach with Tapu Lele all over again. Gladion gave a sheepish look, still trying his hardest not to break down in front of Hau. "I'm so sorry..." he whispered. Hau blinked at him, his eyes easing up just a little, even through all his tears.  
  
Gladion took a deep breath. He was already caught, and there was no going back now. There was no point in being secretive anymore. "I just...wanted to see if I get through to my sister," he admitted. Hau's eyes lit up even more now, as his head lifted a bit.  _That's...why he was leaving?_ he thought. Gladion continued, "I thought that maybe if I tried to take care of things myself, just... _talk_ some  _sense_ into her! Maybe then all of my problems, my family...maybe it wouldn't have to be such a burden on you."  
  
It was probably the oldest hurdle Hau still had yet to leap over. He felt foolish, thinking it was disposed of. He should've known that Gladion was lying about his loss against his sister. There was no way it  _couldn't_ have bothered him! But still, he felt like he could trust that he would talk to him. Maybe that's why all this hurt so much. He felt betrayed in a way. But maybe that wasn't the right way to feel. He had no idea. He only knew he wanted to dispel this fear before it was too late.  
  
"That's not-"  
  
"It  _is_ , Hau. None of this would be happening if I had just done something for her! If I had done something more than just run away..."  
  
"I don't believe you!"  
  
"Wh...what?"  
  
"I...I don't believe that. She chose to do this. There's nothing wrong with being scared, Gladion."  
  
"There  _is_ something wrong with being a coward."  
  
"You're  _not_ a coward! You stood up for me! You...you tried to come rescue me when you thought I was in danger! A coward would've just sat back and let anything happen to me if it meant he'd escape the Aether Foundation."  
  
The blonde was out of logical arguments to give Hau. He wouldn't even allow him to doubt himself. It was truly a cursed talent. Hau sniffled, looking down again, he noticed Gladion was still holding onto his hands. He blushed, and suddenly fell silent. Once again, the events at the beach played back in his head. Gladion noticed this, and he looked down to investigate. As soon as he realized it, his face went red. He gasped lightly, instantly pulling them away. He never felt more shameful in his life.  
  
The gesture, however, only sent Hau further into panic. He suddenly grabbed onto Gladion's left hand, refusing to let go. "Don't!" he shouted, catching the blonde off-guard. He stared at Hau, disoriented by the sudden movement. Hau stared back, his eyes held a bit of fear in them now. "Don't..." he repeated, shaking his head, "Don't pull away from me again." The older boy blushed, but he kept his gaze as he intertwined their fingers. Just like Hau, he began remembering the moment earlier that night on the beach.  
  
It was silent for a long time, until Hau reached up and gently brushed Gladion's bangs out of his face. This only made the older boy flush even more. But he didn't push him off or move away. The gentle smile Hau mustered only made things worse. "You have really pretty eyes, you know. I...I couldn't stop looking at them, earlier..." he admitted. Gladion blinked. He had never been complimented like this before. It made this fuzzy feeling even more unbearable.  
  
"A-About that...I'm sorry that I-"  
  
"No, it's ok. It was...nice."  
  
His thoughts and feelings began stirring again. He didn't have any idea if this meant anything at all. He didn't know the first thing about this. It made him wish deeply for some kind of cosmic sign from his father. Or anyone, really. Something just to tell him where to go, or what to say. Hau's own face became flushed, as his hand rested on Gladion's cheek. He seemed to be hesitating to say something. He took a deep breath, before he began to ask, "Can...can I..."  
  
He had trailed off. The blonde raised a curious brow at him. Was something the matter? He definitely didn't want to move. Both to comply with Hau's own wishes and to satisfy his own. Even now, he was being selfish, and Hau didn't even know it. At least, it  _felt_ selfish. Oh, why did love have to be so confusing? It seemed stupidly simple to adults, but that only made children such as the boys all the more frustrated in their first experiences with it. Cautiously, he decided to bite, "Wh-"  
  
"C-Can I kiss you?!"  
  
As the question rang in the air and disappeared like dust in the wind in just a split second, Hau's eyes were shut tightly. His face was completely flushed, and he was too nervous to look up at his friend. The silence was maddening between them both. Gladion wanted desperately to open his mouth. But he couldn't. He was trapped inside his head again.  _He...he wants to kiss me?!_ he panicked. What did that mean? Does he like him? Maybe he didn't mean what he thought. No, it had to be that, right?  
  
Meanwhile, Hau was taking the ever-extending silence very poorly. He felt more and more ashamed the longer it went on. Finally, he began to regret even asking in the first place. "S-Sorry..." he whispered. The doubt was something the older boy could easily hear in his voice. Was he...nervous? Hau shook his head, finally mustering the courage to look at his friend. "I don't know what I was thinking, you're probably weirded out. I'll just-"  
  
"Hey..." Gladion suddenly interjected, his grip on Hau's hand tightening greatly. With his free hand, he reached up and wiped away a stray tear from Hau's cheek. Hau almost forgot how to breathe, gazing into Gladion's eyes with anticipation. Slowly, Gladion smiled at him. "I didn't say 'No', you big goofball," he said. The answer had Hau's heart fluttering in an instant. He swallowed hard, and he blinked a few times out of anxiety. Slowly, he began to lean in. And to his surprise, Gladion mimicked the movement.  
  
As soon as their lips met, they both tensed for a brief moment as their eyes slid shut. Finally, they relaxed, as they wrapped their arms around each other. Everything felt  _perfect_. For once, nothing was clouding their heads or seeming unclear. All they felt was love. And it was the best thing they ever shared. Gladion pulled Hau closer. After a few moments, they finally pulled apart from each other, though hesitantly. They panted a bit. While the kiss was chaste, they had gone a long couple minutes without air.  
  
Hau's face went red again, as he put a hand over his mouth. His eyes went wide, and suddenly the moment hit him.  _We...we kissed!_ he thought. He was overwhelmed. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so cathartic. It was  _wonderful_. Gladion noticed this reaction, and instantly he felt worried all over again. Had he done something wrong? Maybe he shouldn't have been so touchy with him during the exchange. "H-Hau...are you alright?" he asked.  
  
The question immediately brought Hau back to his senses. He took his hand down, staring up at Gladion with stars in his eyes. "Th-that...was my first kiss," he admitted. The blonde stared at him for a moment, suddenly realizing something as well. " M...Mine...too," he said. There was another brief moment of silence as they both processed this. Then, Hau smiled and burst out into a fit of giggles. The reaction raised yet another brow from the blonde, "Huh?"   
  
The younger boy burst out into full on jovial laughter, as he tackled Gladion in a hug. The sudden impact sent them straight onto the floor, and Gladion wrapped his arms around Hau to avoid dropping him. "H-Hey! Careful!" he chuckled, halfly enjoying the attention. Through his laughter, Hau was able to muster a response. "Sorry, I'm just so happy!" he declared. They didn't cease their embrace once they hit the floor, it only got tighter. Gladion felt completely at peace, as he nuzzled his face into his friend's shoulder.  
  
Hau's laughter slowly calmed, but he was still grinning. Once again, he realized something else. He turned his head slightly to look at his friend, "Hey...Gladion?" The blonde's head lifted a bit so he could hear him better. "What is it...?" he asked. Hau didn't hesitate this time. He was sure now that it was all out in the open anyways. But still, he wanted to be proper. "I-I know you're supposed to this  _before_ you kiss, but...I really like you," he confessed. Gladion's eyes grew wide again.  
  
_He...likes me?_ he thought. True, they had indeed just shared their first kiss together. But he hadn't really been thinking about why that was. He knew he was hopelessly in love with Hau. But perhaps saying so was a little too much. He didn't know if Hau felt quite as passionate as he did. Hell, the possibility he felt even  _remotely_ the same was something he never considered before. After all, he had only just tried to abandon him a few minutes ago. When did that suddenly stop mattering?  
  
"I...I just wanted to tell you. And...I know this is selfish of me to say..." Hau whispered. Before he continued, his grip on Gladion tightened noticeably. The gesture made the older boy absolutely inflamed. As if he was finally something valuable to someone. To the one person he loved more than anything. "...B-But...I don't want you to ever leave my side again." His tone was firm, but also contained a slight sob. The older boy's eyes were wide as they sparkled with absolute adoration.  
  
Someone...actually wanted him. He felt like crying again, but he restrained himself. Hau once again took the silence poorly. Perhaps he had come on too strongly. "S...Sorry, I-" he was cut off as Gladion's grip became tighter as well. "No...! No, it's..." Gladion trailed off. He didn't want Hau to start doubting any of this. He had to start being upfront. Being honest. There was no more reason to hide anything he kept inside of his heart. "I-I want that too. To never leave you, I mean," he admitted.  
  
"R...Really?"  
  
"Mmhm. Because...I-I...I like you too. I wanted to tell you earlier, but I just chickened out. Like I always do..."  
  
"...Were you...going to kiss me?"  
  
Gladion blushed. He nodded, quietly affirming this guess out loud, "M...Mmhm...~" Hau couldn't help but smile again. He pulled himself back, brushing aside the blonde's long bangs again to gaze into his eyes. Gladion smiled shyly. But it didn't last long, as he tore his gaze downwards and frowned. His eyes glazed over again as a sudden, horrifying thought hit him. "Hey...Hau?" Hau stared at him worriedly, tilting his head in slight confusion as he answered in a small hum, "Hm?"  
  
"Can you...can you please promise me something?" he whispered, just barely able to meet his eyes again. Hau blinked. Was he still worried about something? "What is it...?" he asked. "Promise..." Gladion hesitated for a moment. He began shaking as he could no longer hold back his tears. All his fears spilled out into the open at once as he managed to finish his sentence. "Promise that you'll never abandon me...!" he begged, desperately. The question left Hau completely confused.  
  
He just told him he liked him, didn't he? That he didn't  _want_ Gladion to leave. Why would he ever think such a thing? He couldn't even possibly dignify the request with an answer yet. He had to get to the bottom of this. Cupping Gladion's face in his hands to gain his full attention, he answered with yet another question. "Gladion! Wh-where is this coming from?" Gladion couldn't help the stream of tears that ran down his face. He shook his head, but he didn't let go of Hau for fear he may fade away if he did.  
  
"It's just...y-you're the first friend I ever had. You're the only good thing I've known for so long. And I'm...I'm an  _idiot_...! If I screw this up...I don't know how I'll live with myself."  
  
As the blonde began to sob uncontrollably, Hau could only stare pitifully at him. The moment of heat between them had long since faded. He felt a tad foolish for forgetting why they were even sitting here right now in the first place. There were still so many things that Gladion had felt responsible for. So many things he wasn't allowed to feel remorseful or angry over for so long. Now that he had someone special, someone that he loved and that loved him back, his fear of being alone became a cruel possibility.  
  
Gently, Hau pressed his forehead against the blonde's. He kept sobbing, but the contact soothed his nerves if only slightly. Hau gently caressed his face, wiping away his unending tears in the process. After a few short moments, Gladion managed to look into Hau's eyes again. Their close proximity had him even more entranced. He only managed to resist the urge to kiss him again when Hau spoke up, "Gladion, listen to me." Gladion didn't nod, and just remained obediently silent.  
  
"There's nothing you could  _ever_ do or say that would make me hate you or leave you. I was mad when you tried to leave because...just like you trust me, I trust  _you_. I've been telling you since tutu found you, you're my friend. And it's like I told you...I really like you, and I don't want you to leave me either. You don't have to be afraid anymore, Gladion...I can promise you that it's going to be ok now. But you  _have_ to believe that..."  
  
Gladion couldn't help but sob again, as he pulled Hau into another hug. Crying into his shoulder, his muffled voice emerged through his tears. "I-I do, Hau...! I do believe that...! Thank you...thank you so much for all you've done...!" he sniffled. Hau smiled, gently petting Gladion's head. He began whispering soothingly into his ear. " Shhhh...you don't have to cry anymore, silly. You're fine, remember? E aho..." he cooed. Gladion nodded, but he still couldn't stop weeping.  
  
Hau kept on soothing Gladion throughout the night, until they both fell back into slumber together. Gladion would not have a night terror this night, as he kept his grip on his crush throughout the dark hours. Neither of them felt fear now. Any anger, confusion, or sadness had all melted away. Now they were just 2 hopeless romantics on the run together. And nothing seemed more like heaven than that for them, as they dreamed peacefully together for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About fuckin' time you gaylords, damn why you so slow on the ball? >W>  
> For real tho y'all, celebrate, hallelujah they finally got it over with! And it only took me like 40 chapters to do it.
> 
> Medium simmer is now upgraded to lukewarm boil.


	41. Chapter 40 - Seeing Through Different Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys depart to take Hau's last trial before his Grand Trial with Kahuna Olivia, as Lillie and Strelitzia continue training their pokémon together. They notice Clefairy is shaken up by it's loss against Rockruff, which leads Lillie to once again give it sage advice.

It was probably the slowest awakening he had ever experienced. He wasn't sure if it was sleep paralysis or what. But before he could even open his eyes, the events of the night before began playing back in his head like a movie. Or...at least...he was  _sure_ it was a memory. It had to be...right? It all  _felt_ real. The tears, the kiss, his embrace. All of it felt so real and so alive in that moment. But now he wasn't sure if it was a dream or not. No...dreams weren't that real. That'd be just cruel.  
  
Eventually, he was able to open his eyes. Much to his delight and yet continued confusion, he awoke to see Hau slumbering beside him. He almost forgot how to breathe again. They weren't entangled in each other like they usually were when they slept in the same place. That's when he noticed he wasn't on the couch anymore like he should've been. He was on the bed. Had Hau moved him? Did he have another night terror? No, he'd know if that were the case.  
  
He wasn't sure what to do either way now that he was awake.  _Should I move?_ he thought. He scrapped the idea as soon as it came to him. His face flushed as he continued to stare at Hau's peaceful face.  _No...I don't think I want to. Maybe I should wake him, though..._ he thought. Slowly, he moved one of his hands to touch Hau. However, he flinched back as Hau began groaning and shifting. The older boy kept staring silently as his eyes fluttered open and locked with his.  
  
For a moment, neither boy said anything. Gladion had no idea what could've been on Hau's mind. Still, even with how nervous he was, he didn't want to look away. He was completely entranced by the younger boy's ebony eyes. Then, Hau's cheeks flushed a bit as he smiled sweetly and narrowed his eyes at Gladion almost lovingly. The look made Gladion's heart skip a beat as he blushed even more vibrantly than before. He blinked, unable to formulate any words.  
  
"Kakahiaka..." Hau mumbled. The older boy wasn't quite sure he heard Hau right for a moment. Then he realized he was just speaking in his native tongue again. He muttered back, "Huh?" Hau chuckled lightly. It was cute whenever Gladion was utterly clueless. "It means 'Good morning'," he explained. Gladion's eyes lit up briefly, before they glazed over a bit. The unbearable thought that last night was all a dream was still eating away at him. He muttered a half-hearted response.  
  
"Ah...g-good morning."  
  
Hau blinked, his smile fading as he noticed Gladion's unease. Perhaps he was shaken by another dream he had? No...he would've been thrashing about if that were the case. And Hau would  _definitely_ have already noticed that. "Is something wrong?" he asked, giving Gladion a worried look as he furrowed his brows in confusion. Gladion bit his lower lip. Even if it was just a dream, he'd rather follow his own advice for once. "I...I guess I'm still trying to figure out if I was dreaming last night or not," he admitted.  
  
Hau's eyes lit up. So that was what this was about? Though he had to admit, for a moment, he too, was uncertain. But just in hearing Gladion be just as unsure as he was, he knew it couldn't have been a dream after all. He reached out one of his arms, taking Gladion's left hand in his. "I should hope not..." he whispered. Gladion gasped lightly in surprised as he stared at Hau with wide eyes. They sparkled as they glazed over a bit more, his face flushing vibrantly now.  
  
"Hau..."  
  
Hau smiled at him again as the older boy gripped his hand. "Hey, smile. I'm here. You're ok," he reassured. The blonde mustered a warm smile. "Hm...kind of hard not to with you here," he cooed. All his worries had completely drained away. Hau was caught off-guard with the subtle flirt. Even now, he pined for the blonde's attention. Gladion couldn't help but chuckled slightly at the starry-eyed look he rose out of him. "When did you get so cute?" he teased, laying a gentle kiss on Hau's head as he pulled him closer.  
  
Hau's face turned sheepish. He didn't have the nerve to pout. He was a melted mess in the older boy's arms. "N-No fair...when did  _you_ get so romantic?" he sputtered. Gladion smirked. It felt strangely elating, having the younger boy like putty in his fingers. "Learned from the best~" he teased, sticking his tongue out playfully. Hau looked up at him. His adoring look was akin to that of a small puppy. "Um...so...are we like...boyfriends, now?" he asked. Gladion frowned, the question perplexing him.  
  
Though the more he thought about it, the more he wondered it himself. He still was poorly versed in intimacy. Sure, sometimes it came a bit more naturally. Such as now. But perhaps that was because it was much easier this way. He felt like he had control for once. Of course he had no desire to possess Hau. Merely to stay beside him as long as he could. And if anything, he more desired for Hau to take the initiative. After all, there was no where he had ever felt safer than in the younger boy's arms.  
  
"Do you want to be?"  
  
"I-I don't wanna pressure y-"  
  
"We feel the same way, right?"  
  
"Y...Yeah?"  
  
"Then I don't see why not."  
  
He pulled him closer, burying his face in Hau's hair. Hau's face turned bright red, but he didn't pull away. He clutched to Gladion, nuzzling his face into the blonde's hoodie. "Besides...I trust you more than anyone. I'd gladly have you if you would have me in return," he muttered. Hau nodded, "O-Of course I would! I trust you too. And...you mean a lot to me." Gladion pulled back from Hau reluctantly, gazing directly into his eyes. For once, he wanted to cry from happiness rather than despair.  
  
Moving his hand up to rest on Hau's cheek, he leaned in and captured his lips in another chaste kiss. They relaxed into it much more quickly this time. After taking a break for air, Hau leaned forward again and deepened it a little. The blonde just let him take the lead. Enjoying the sensation too much to think about it. However, the kiss ended suddenly as Hau suddenly gasped. He sat up, looking at the clock on the end table suddenly. The older boy sat up, un-nerved by his sudden panic.  
  
"Wh-what's wrong?!"  
  
"Aw crap! It's 9 o' clock already! We gotta get up! I'm supposed to take my next trial today!"  
  
"S-Sorry! I-It was so late last night..."  
  
Hau looked to Gladion again. He smiled warmly, caressing one of his cheeks. "It's alright, Glad. Maybe if we hurry we can finish up before noon," he said. Gladion smiled back, pulling Hau's hand off his face before planting a quick peck on his cheek. "Go get ready then, I'll only need a few minutes," he replied, before climbing off the bed to get his bag from the couch. Hau nodded, quickly making his way into the bathroom to get his hairbrush. The older boy fished through his bag before pulling out a pokéball.  
  
He called out his Zorua, who stretched it's legs with anticipation and hopped in place. It seemed to be restless and eager to train. Gladion chuckled, petting it's head before securing his bag around his shoulders. "I know I know, we're going out soon," he assured. He stepped towards a mirror on the wall, staring at his reflection almost curiously. He looked down at his left hand, gripping and rubbing his wrist gently. His thoughts clouded as he did so, and he began thinking back to the day he escaped.  
  
He had slowly but surely been recollecting the events of his crash. His second crash had almost completely brought it all back to him. Despite already knowing what had caused it, a part of him had felt empty for a while from his inability to recollect it all. It was one of his longest standing failures. One he had not yet come to terms with. He wondered if he ever would. Perhaps he would never forgive himself for it. Even if it was out of his hands. And yet still, now more than ever, he didn't regret it for a second.  
  
Suddenly he was pulled out of his trance when Hau grabbed his hand. He stared at Hau in surprise, startled by his sudden presence that he had failed to detect. Hau gave him a worried look, gently rubbing his thumb against the back of Gladion's hand. He smiled, "You ready?" Gladion nodded, pulling his hood up over his face with his free hand as he entangled his fingers with Hau's. His face flushed as he returned Hau's smile with one of his own. "Let's go," he replied.  
  
Gladion looked down at his Zorua as they began leaving. He was a little confused to see Hau's Eevee was out, but quickly chalked it up to his distracted state rather than asking obvious questions. They all shuffled out of the motel room, heading up the path the boys had taken just the day before. Suddenly a thought occurred to Gladion that had escaped him for nearly 2 weeks. He turned his head to look at Hau, "H-Hey, Hau?" Hau looked back a him curiously.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I...I just remembered something. Remember when you were teaching me how to speak Alolan?"  
  
"Oh! Y-Yeah, I remember. Did you want me to teach you some more?"  
  
"Well...I never got an answer from you about something."  
  
"Oh, really? Sorry about that, what was it?"  
  
"The word 'Alola'. You said it has a third meaning. What is it?"  
  
Hau's face turned red again. He tore his gaze away from Gladion frantically. The older boy couldn't help but find the shy reaction adorable despite not understanding it. "Oh...r...right. That," Hau stuttered. He scratched his cheek with his free hand, smiling sheepishly as he continued to avoid Gladion's eyes. "Um...it...it means 'Love'," he admitted. Gladion's eyes widened. Suddenly the strange conversations between his parents made complete sense. He smiled warmly before he squeezed Hau's hand.  
  
"I see...that sounds nice," he said. Hau gazed at him for a moment, before beaming brightly again. "Was there anything else you wanted to know anyways?" he asked. Gladion nodded, "And...I'll try my best to teach you some more Kaloch, too." Zorua and Eevee began to play as they all continued on their path. Of course, they were sure to keep up with their trainers. Regardless, they were oblivious to their back and forth lessons. However, it didn't take them long to reach their destination.  
  
Unlike the other trial grounds, it was relative close to the motel. A strange girl in overalls and green pigtails was nearby the entrance. She almost instantly noticed the boys and waved at them. "Hey there! Welcome, trial-goers!" she greeted. Hau waved back, "Hey! You must be Mallow, right?" She nodded, "You got that right! You must be here to take my trial. Right this way~!" She gestured them towards the entrance. Hau looked to Gladion nervously. But the blonde gave him a gently smile as he nodded.  
  
"I'll be right here when you return. Promise," he said, before kissing Hau's head gently. His face lit up like a Christmas tree as he nodded with a sheepish look on his face. Mallow just grinned, finding the two utterly adorable. As she lead Hau and his Eevee into her trial grounds, she playfully jabbed his arm with her elbow, "He sure is a cutie~ Where'd ya find 'im?" The older boy rolled his eyes, turning away to put his attention back on his Zorua. The Zorua leaned onto it's front legs, wagging it's tail playfully.  
  
Gladion smirked, before scooping the small fox pokémon and scratching it's belly. He laughed as it quickly escaped his grasp and climbed up his arm to reach his shoulder, before pouncing up onto his head. He made a show of falling over in defeat, Zorua climbing down off his head as it posed triumphantly on Gladion's thigh. He couldn't help but snicker, sitting back up without warning as he scooped Zorua up yet again in a firm hug. It howled with laughter and delight, much enjoying the attention from it's trainer.  
  
Gladion smirked down at it, "Looks like I win this time, little guy." It barked up at him, it's tail still wagging. As he released his grip on it, it slumbered down into his lap quietly. As he pet it, he frowned. His mind wandered back to his attempted escape not too long ago. And his battle with Lillie. Truthfully, he still felt guilty in part for these things. After all, he had put his pokémon at severe risk on both counts. And both counts were entirely out of selfish desire to preserve either himself or Hau.  
  
His fight against his sister was pointless. In the end, it proved nothing. It helped nothing. All it did was plant discord in his head as he had silently fought with himself about what to do. And even now, he still was. However, his situation with Hau had changed completely. Which meant the way he thought about these things changed as well. No longer was his solution to escape at the expense of Hau's company and guaranteed heartbreak. No longer did he think to try and find some hidden escape to the walls closing in on him.  
  
Instead, he considered to break them down. And doing it with  _him_ by his side. As long as he was there, nothing could harm him. And now that he had confided in Hau and vice versa, he could believe this. He could believe it when Hau told him that everything would be ok, that he'd protect him, that his mother would never lay a finger on him again. Still, that didn't quite rid him of his fears. Perhaps he wouldn't feel truly at ease until he was sure she had no more power over him.  
  
For now, however, he felt at peace.  


* * *

  
The girls were sat in Lillie's attic as their pokémon sparred with one another. Morelull duked it out with Espeon, Happiny with Herdier, and Clefairy trained on it's own, constantly using it's moves on a punching bag. Lurantis simply watched all this unfold, Lillie's Mareanie perched on the vanity to get a good view of the spectacle. Lillie and Strelitzia both sat a considerable distance away from them all, both sat on either side of her dufflebag as they watched as well. Nebby poked it's head out curiously.  
  
"So, your brother managed to knock it out?"  
  
"Yeah...but it was a lucky shot. She's been restless ever since. Not that I blame her."  
  
"Totally! I'd wanna stick to 'im too if I were her!"  
  
Lillie turned her head to meet eyes with Strelitzia. "There's one thing I still don't get..." she muttered. Strelitzia raised a brow at Lillie, "What's that, Big Sis?" Lillie blinked, "Well...the Kahuna's grandson. They were really close. Almost like they were friends or something. And the fact that he's still even walking around in plain sight perplexes me." Strelitzia tilted her head, thinking long and hard about it. She too thought it sounded suspicious. After all, they came from the same situation.  
  
Whether or not Lillie hated him, at the end of the day, they suffered the same evil. And surely he knew how easy it'd be for their mother to find him walking out in the open like that. Even  _with_ his disguise. They were all-too-close to a caravan that belong to the Aether Foundation during their battle. Wasn't he aware of that? Was it just party of his high and mighty act? Strelitzia lifted her head again, lifting an index finger in the air as she formulated a vague idea.  
  
"Maybe they're in cahoots with each other!"  
  
"That... _could_  be the case. The Kahuna  _is_ a powerful man. No reason why his grandson wouldn't have something my brother might want. But what that is is a total mystery to me."  
  
"Who knows? He's just a big crybaby anyways! I'm  _glad_ you beat him! He totally deserves it!"  
  
Lillie smirked, "Hmph. I suppose it  _was_ a satisfying victory. Even if Cleffy couldn't get to see it." Strelitzia frowned pitifully, "Poor Cleffy! I sure hope she gets a chance to stick it to him next time!" Lillie nodded. Despite already being more than content with the result she had procured, she knew Clefairy would never be satisfied unless given the chance to break Gladion as he had broken it. She sympathized with this desire. She understood it better than anyone else.  
  
Lillie glanced at her Clefairy, alone in it's own corner of the room. The burning fury and hatred in it's eyes was brighter than ever. Lillie's eyes narrowed at it as it began throwing more and more aggressive attacks at the punching bag. Eventually, the bag had the stuffing quite literally beaten out of it as it bent. Eventually, the whole thing came loose on the floor altogether before Clefairy completely eviscerated it. It was breathing heavily, and every other pokémon had stopped to watch.  
  
Lillie got up slowly, walking over to it without speaking. It wasn't moving or attacking anymore, merely breathing heavily. Once she was close enough, she stopped. Slowly reaching out her arm, she touched Clefairy's head. It's ragged breathing came to a halt. For a moment, she wondered if she had startled it. Then, it turned around. And the sight that befell her broke her heart into pieces. It had tears streaming down it's face as it bit it's own lip to keep itself from doing so. But clearly, it wasn't working.  
  
Strelitzia gasped, standing up from where she was sitting. She debated whether or not to comfort it herself. Lillie's face was worn with clear shock, but she left it blank. Slowly, she hardened her stare to a stern look. "That hurt you're feeling is a weakness," she stated, kneeling down to get a better look at Clefairy's face. It wiped it's own tears away, sniffling futilely. She waited patiently for it to compose itself for the most part before continuing.  
  
"We will not weep for the weak and unworthy. He's  _dead_. Do you understand?"  
  
It nodded, mustering the best glint of determination it could. Lillie nodded, before standing back up and turning away from it. "Good...now come on. We need to go ask the boss for a new punching bag," she ordered. Strelitzia watched as Lillie began for the stairs with her Clefairy. She stood up, "D-Do you want me to watch Nebby and the others, Big Sis?" Lillie nodded, glancing back at her as she addressed her, "That'd be great. And don't let anybody get too out of hand again. Got it?"  
  
She nodded, bringing a hand up in a salute over her head, "Yes, ma'am!" Lillie turned away from her friend once again, continuing down the steps with her Clefairy. As they headed back outside, they noted a few more grunts were around Po Town than usual. She wondered if it was because of the cloudy weather. She began down the stone path to the mansion. She ignored all the grunts that gave her dirty looks and whispered loudly about her as she passed by them.  
  
Eventually, she reached the front doors of the mansion. To her surprise, upon entering, she found Guzma sitting on the staircase. Her eyebrows raised in surprise as she shuffled inside. He noticed her instantly, standing up and meeting her the door quickly. "Princess, what brings you by here?" he asked. Lillie brought her hands together over her skirt in a dainty posture as she stared up at him. "Cleffy broke our punching bag. Do you have another one we could use?" she explained.  
  
He sneered as he raised a brow at her, "She  _broke_ it?" Lillie rolled her eyes around the room as she hesitated to be specific. "Weeelll, more like...burned...obliterated...and utterly destroyed it. But yes, broke," she admitted as her face scrunched up. Guzma blinked before glancing at the Clefairy again. "Sheesh. What's got  _you_ in such a bad mood?" he asked. The Clefairy looked down shamefully. Lillie shook her head, "It's just...tired. Tired and frustrated. She's gotten better about her self-control."  
  
"If you say so, princess..."  
  
"So do you have something?"  
  
"Hmmm...well, I think I've got a better idea."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
He felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He quietly reached into it and quickly silenced it, acting nonchalant as he did so. "Your Clefairy is gettin' crazy strong. Which means you might wanna evolve it soon. It'll be that much more powerful," he suggested. She pouted as she crossed her arms. She looked away indignantly, "I  _want_ to, but I don't know where to get a Moon Stone!" Guzma gave her a smug smile, "Princess, it ain't rocket science. Ya just  _steal_ one."  
  
"But where would-" she was interrupted as he pulled her into a one-sided hug with one of his arms. "Look, you ain't really ready to go back out to the islands. But why don't you try messin' with some punks outside the walls here? There's plenny of young trainers that come by this side of Ula'Ula," he explained. She blinked, her eyes widening at the suggestion. "B-But, am I really ready for something like that right now?" she argued. He put an index finger against her mouth to silence her.  
  
"Princess. It's easy pickings. Remember, you gotta use steppin' stones to your advantage," he said. She blinked again, before nodding and pull his hand off of her face. "O-Ok. If you really think I should," she agreed obediently. He ruffled up her hair as he chuckled, gaining a giggle out of her. "There's a good girl. Now go on, break a leg! Oh and...take Stret with ya," he ordered. She blinked again at this. He smirked, "I think you'd make a perfect mentor for her. Now's as good a time as any for her to learn how to handle scruffs on the outside."  
  
Lillie nodded, turning and heading back out of the mansion with her Clefairy. He waited until he was sure she was out of ear-shot. Then, he pulled his phone out of his pocket. Slowly, he flipped it open and hesitantly made a call to the number he had been rejecting much too often lately. He bit his lower lip as it kept on ringing. Then, finally, when it seemed to be the last ring it could muster, he heard a clicking sound of the other end being picked up. He gulped, unable to get a word in before  _she_ spoke.  
  
"...Well now. And here I thought you might be dead. After all, that's the only excuse I could  _possibly_ think of as to  _why_ you would consistently ignore me. But by all means, entertain me, Guzma.  _What's got you too busy to answer me?_ "  
  
"M-Madam President...just been dealin' with stuff at my headquarters. D-Don't worry about it."  
  
"You're going to have to do better than that.  _What_ is it?"  
  
"Nuthin', really! I've dealt with it anyways!"  
  
"... _Guzma_."  
  
He swallowed hard again. He was sweating hard. Truly, this woman was more and more horrifying by the day. "Madam President," he replied. Despite not even seeing her face, he could practically feel her eyes glaring daggers at him. Her tone was enough to manifest the cold and disturbing image. "I like you, so I'm only going to tell you this once. If you're doing things behind my back...I can assure you, that little shit hole will be burned to the ground within a matter of hours. Do I make myself clear?" she snapped.  
  
"N-No ma'am. I-I mean! Crystal clear ma'am. I just meant...I-I ain't doin' nuthin' shady. Promise," he stuttered. Her tone didn't change as she continued. "Well then, now that we got  _that_ cleared up. Where is my Beast Killer?" she demanded. He didn't noticed as Plumeria peeked out of a door behind him from one of the many rooms around the house. She listened in quietly, instantly beginning to sweat as she saw him talking on the phone. She knew who it was.  
  
"S-Sorry lady. We ain't found nuthin' yet. The kid must be a lot more good at hidin' than you give 'im credit for."  
  
"What's  _that_ supposed to mean?"  
  
"Well, for one, your ferry patrol didn't work."  
  
" _What. Do you. Mean?_ "  
  
"I  _mean_  he ain't on Melemele anymore, lady! He's-"  
  
He hesitated as he winced. Lusamine could detect this hesitation easily. "He's  _what_ , Guzma? What do you know?!" she snapped. He sighed, "He's...on Akala. Some of my boys saw 'im there." Plumeria became uneasy at this confession. She knew he had to give Lusamine  _something_. And lying was off the table. They had already long since discussed their plan as to what to give this woman. Still, it made them both feel guilty to have to be even the least bit honest.  
  
"What?! Where?!"  
  
"They don't remember."  
  
"That's  _not_ good enough!"  
  
He heard her sigh with frustration over the phone. He was completely silent. He had no idea how to appease this woman without saying far too much. After a long and tense pause between them, she spoke up again. "Fine. But if you ignore me again, I will be coming down there to personally interrogate your stupid children myself. Understood?" she hissed. Guzma nodded his head as he answered, "O-Of course, Madam President. It won't happen again." Her tone didn't return to a pleasant one as it usually did.  
  
" _Good_."  
  
He was left speechless as the phone clicked again as Lusamine hung up on him. Slowly, he brought the phone down and flipped it shut. He stared off at seemingly nothing. He was snapped out of it as he heard Plumeria's voice behind him suddenly. "Guz?" she called. He spun around frantically, completely startled. She had a worried look on her face as she stared at him silently. Her eyes begged him for an explanation. Some sort of answer to the question she didn't want to ask.  
  
He just stared back at her. The call had completely shaken him. He shook his head, turning to head for the door, "I...I need to talk to Nanu." She stepped forward, reaching a hand out to him, "G-Guz, hold up!" He stopped briefly to look at back at her as he pushed the door open slightly. She could see the panic in his eyes. She hadn't seen him so antsy in years. "I'll be right back. Just keep an eye on the kids for me," he said, quickly departing out the front door without another word.  
  
She crossed her arms, looking down dejectedly. As she turned away from the door, she brought one of her hands up to run along her cheek as she bit her lower lip. She could barely hear Lusamine's screaming, but it was loud enough to catch scraps of, even at the distance she was positioned. It was clear she was becoming more and more restless by the day. Nearly a month had gone by now and they still had no savory results for her. As she shuffled back into the room she came out of, a terrible thought hit her.  
  
_What the hell are we gonna do when it's time to give her what she wants?_  


* * *

  
As Hau was shuffling out of the trial grounds, Mallow followed beside him excitedly. He had a few leaves and twigs in his hair, but he quickly brushed them aside. She beamed at him brightly, "That was impressive work, Hau! And your Leafeon looks absolutely beautiful!" They both looked down at his Leafeon as it strut enthusiastically in it's new form. It had become much more grassy, many of it's limbs now resembling rough leaves. Even small patches of vines growing in between it's fur.  
  
It's ears were still considerably shorter, but it looked truly stunning. He beamed happily as he blushed in slight embarrassment, "Mahalo, Mallow. It's brother will sure be excited to see it's new evolution." Mallow blinked curiously, "Ohh, it's got a brother?" Hau nodded, "Yeah. My boy-" He stopped himself as he blushed. He became flustered. Saying it aloud for the first time felt much more different than he expected. Mallow grinned mischievously, "Hehe, your  _boyfriend_ has it?"  
  
Hau nodded, burying his face in his hands. Mallow just giggled light-heartedly, "Awww! Don't mean to tease ya, Hau. You two look really cute together! Here, take this." She offered, holding out a strange looking herb to him. He peeked through his fingers briefly, before taking his hands off his face completely to take the herb. "What's this?" he asked. "It's a Revival Herb. It's got a bitter taste, but you can use it to revive your pokémon when it's fainted," she explained.  
  
"Wow! Really? Thanks, Captain Mallow!" he beamed before putting the herb away in his bag. Their brows both raised when they heard soft singing as they approached the entrance. They slowed their pace, being careful not to be too loud and startle whomever the beautiful singing was originating from. They both poked their heads out and found Gladion sitting on the ground cradling his Zorua. It wasn't sleeping, but it seemed to be much enjoying the attention it received.  
  
Hau's eyes lit up as he looked up to see Gladion was the one who was singing. While he didn't recognize any of the words, he was sure it was Kaloch from the faint accent in his lyrics. Mallow blinked in fascination, leaning forward with her hands behind her back as she poked her head past Hau to get a good look. As she listened, she seemed to deduce the song as some sort of nursery rhyme to memorize numbers. It was must similar to one she had also heard growing up.  
  
"Un~ Deux~ Trois~ Quatre~ Cinq~ Six~ Sept~ Huit~ Neuf~"  
  
Hau smiled shyly before he began approaching Gladion quietly. He reached out his hand, gently brushing it against his shoulder. The blonde's eyes lit up as he stopped singing and stared up at Hau with a startled look. Hau chuckled, "Did I scare ya?" Gladion blushed, looking away shyly. "N...No. I'm fine," he insisted before standing up, his Zorua still chilling out in his arms. He quickly noticed Hau's Leafeon and his blush faded. "Is...that your Eevee?" he asked. Zorua noticed as well, hopping out of Gladion's arms to converse with the newly evolved Leafeon.  
  
Hau nodded, "Yup! It evolved during the trial! Guess it was caused by this weird rock covered in moss that was nearby." Gladion smiled, "It looks cute." Mallow waved at the boys as she stood up straight, "Hey, this means you can totally do your Grand Trial now, you know!" Hau's eyes widened as he beamed, "R-Really?!" She nodded, before pointing up at the sky, "And lucky you~! Looks like you've got plenty of time to get there! It's still only 11:30."  
  
Hau squirmed excitedly before turning to look up at Gladion, "Hanini, isn't this wonderful?! We could go to Ula'Ula tomorrow if I pass!" The older boy blinked at him, only slightly unsure, "Are you sure that you don't wanna train more first?" Hau shook his head, "Nah. I'm ready. That last trial was a breeze!" Mallow turned and began to head back inside her trial grounds, smiling at them both as she waved them off. "See ya around then, lovebirds! Kick Olivia's keister for me, will ya?" she giggled.  
  
Once she was gone, they were left in slight awkward silence again. Hau's grin shrunk into a shy smile as he tapped his index fingers together nervously. "You...have a really nice voice, you know," he complimented. Gladion blushed, tugging on the strings of his hoodie shyly. "M-Merci...it's an old song my mother taught me. It was just to help me learn how to count to 10," he explained. Hau's smile stretched further again, "That's so cute! Do you think you could teach me sometime?"  
  
The older boy glanced at him shyly, before he returned his smile, "Only if you teach me that lullaby you sung a couple days ago. It sounded... _nice_." Hau's cheeks flushed as he gripped at his shirt. He nodded, sheepishly grabbing Gladion's hand. "Let's go then...alola," he muttered. The endearing nickname had the older boy staring at Hau with the same inflamed look the younger boy held for him. He couldn't help it as he pulled Hau into another quick kiss that ended almost as soon as it began.  
  
As soon as they pulled away from each other, they were gazing into each other's gleaming eyes. They were like two love struck puppies. Then, the older boy broke the silence as he took his hand off of Hau's face. "Oui...Mon cher," he coughed. Slowly, Hau grinned as he began tugging the older boy along beside him up the short cut they had taken the day before again. They were much more careful this time in getting down each slope, Gladion carefully placing his Zorua in his satchel for protection beforehand.  
  
Once they reached the bottom again, his Zorua happily jumped out of the bag. As they began their long journey back towards Konikoni City, Gladion decided to take the opportunity to fill the gap of the silence. "You know...I just realized. I didn't see Moon back there," he stated bluntly. Hau chuckled nervously, "Guess she finally got tired of waiting for us. But that's fine. I'm sure she'll probably be waiting for us in Konikoni City." He rubbed the back of his neck, blushing from embarrassment.  
  
"I hope she's not too cross with us..."  
  
"I don't think so. I'm glad she helped us out like that the other day."  
  
"Oh...I should probably apologize for that when we  _do_ see her."  
  
"What'd I say about that?" Hau pouted.  
  
"I can't help it. After what I put my pokémon through, I-"  
  
"Hanini, you don't have to feel guilty about all this. And I'm sure your pokémon don't hold it against you."  
  
"But I almost got them seriously hurt! Even before my sister confronted us, I..."  
  
He stopped himself, biting his lip. Hau squeezed his hand to reassure him silently. Gladion noticed, locking eyes with Hau's dark irises again. "E aho, alola. I won't let something like that happen to you again," he stated firmly. The blonde stared at him silently, not even bothering to argue with his partner. He nodded, "I trust you." The older boy glanced in an odd direction, and Hau quickly noticed. Before he could ask what he was looking at, Gladion reached his free hand up and fiddled with a particular patch of hair on the back of Hau's head.  
  
He blushed, shivering slightly at the sudden contact. He blinked at him, "H-Hanini, what're you doing?" Gladion's eyes lit up, "O-Oh. Sorry, I'm just checking on your head wound. It's been a while since I did that." Hau calmed down slightly, though still inflamed by the feeling of the older boy's fingers brushing against his scalp. Gladion frowned when he saw a blatant scar where the open wound had once been not too long ago. He took his hand off Hau's head, giving Hau a sorrowful look.  
  
"Does it still hurt?" he asked. Hau shook his head, "Nah. It hasn't for a long time now. You don't still feel bad about it, do you?" Gladion shook his head, "No. I'm just glad you turned out ok." Hau smiled sweetly. He would always have the memory tucked away, even if he didn't remember most of it. He blushed shyly, "Well, it's all thanks to you and Null." Gladion smiled back, tugging on one of his hoodie strings, but only slightly, "Don't mention it..."  
  
Before either of them could continue the conversation, they were interrupted by the familiar cry of a certain island deity. "Puuuu~!" it chirped, floating down towards them as it spread sparkly scales around like it did the night before. Hau beamed excitedly, "Tapu Lele! You're back!" Tapu Lele spun around excitedly, before turning to look at Gladion. The blonde stared back, becoming nervous under it's stare after a few moments. Then, it grabbed his free hand and placed a rough object into it.  
  
He looked down, noticing it was a strange sparkling stone much like the one Tapu Koko had dropped at the bridge. The boy stared in awe, before Gladion turned his head up to look at the Tapu. "Y-You...want me to have this? Are you sure?" he asked. The Tapu nodded, spinning around before it launched itself back into the air above them, still spreading it's shiny scales about. They both blinked at it as it danced away into the distance. They looked down at the stone again, Hau hugging onto Gladion's arm to get a good look.  
  
"Hmmm...it's definitely a Z Ring stone. Maybe the Kahuna can make you a proper Z Ring when we get to her!" he said. Gladion carefully put the sparkling stone into his satchel bag, turning his head to look at his partner who was still latched onto his arm. "Maybe you could teach me how to use it the next time we train together," he offered. Hau nodded, continuing on their journey to Konikoni City eagerly. Eventually, they reached Diglett's Tunnel again as they passed into Heahea City.  
  
Zorua and Leafeon both jumped ahead of their masters, ready to defend from any wild pokémon. The boys followed close behind them, Gladion's own defenses shooting up immensely. The distant and unpleasant memory of the last cave they had been in together gnawed at the back of his head like a bad brain freeze. Suddenly, a lump in the dirt suddenly shot up beneath Leafeon's feet and knocked it back a couple feet. It growled as it observed the lump was the head of a lone Diglett.  
  
Zorua was about to aid in it's endeavors, when suddenly it was knocked away by a reptilian pokémon. It's skin felt rock-hard as the impact landed and threw the Zorua back. It dug it's claws into the ground to stop itself from moving, successfully halting itself as it growled at it's new opponent. The boys were quick to get behind their assaulted pokémon, pulling off of each other to reach them. "Zorua! Are you alright?!" Gladion called. Zorua nodded, barking aggressively at the reptile that glared back at it.  
  
"Zorua, Taunt it!" Gladion ordered. Zorua began making mocking poses and gestures at the reptile, barking in mockery at it. The hostile pokémon became agitated, taking the bait as it's face turned red with rage. It lunged forward to attack Zorua again, raising up it's stubby arm to smack it. "Quickly, use Scary Face!" Gladion called out. Zorua bore it's fangs, scowling and glaring in a horrifying look that frightened the reptilian pokémon. This gave Zorua the opportunity to slip past the attack with ease.  
  
The reptile turned around, growling at Zorua with intensive agitation. It was sweating, but it was still seething with rage. The brew of emotions was not a good combination. "Feint Attack!" Gladion commanded. Zorua darted forward, a dark aura enveloping it one of it's paws as it punched the reptile with full force. It hissed in pain, unable to dodge the attack due to it's fright freezing it into place. After the hit landed, the hostile pokémon tried once again to hit Zorua with the same attack, and miraculously landed.  
  
However, it didn't leave much of a scratch on the tiny fox pokémon. This only made the reptile more nervous as it took a step back. Gladion smirked, "Now, take it down with Foul Play!" Zorua charged forward, slamming into the reptilian pokémon and sending it backwards onto it's back. It pulled itself back up. It was considerably scratched up now, but it still seemed full of energy. It's anger boiled to it's breaking point, as it charged at Zorua with the same attack yet again.  
  
Before Gladion even gave it an order however, it began charging forward as well, raising up one of it's claws as it began to glow. And then...the rest of it began to glow too. In the darkness of the cave, it illuminated as a bright beacon of white light as it's form began to shift mid-air. Just like Lycanroc, it grew to be double it's size if not more, taking on a bipedal stance. The single tuft of hair on it's head grew like a wildfire, spreading out along it's back and the bottom wrapping in what looked to be a single bead.  
  
The light faded to reveal it's colors as it swiped into the reptile with it's newly sharp red claws that poked out of it's long arms. It's long and furry legs had claws much like it as well. It's overall coat did not change in color, still primarily a dark gray. It's pointed snout had nostrils that appeared to bleed, but were merely tipped in red markings. The same red markings tipped the corners of it's lips and outlined it's eyes in their entirety like eye-liner. It's blue eyes looked much more menacing, and the fur inside it's ears had been dyed red.  
  
It's long, spiky, and poofy mane stretched down to it's feet. It was now primarily red, tipped at some strands with black. The blue bead that matched it's eyes held it in a low tail on the end. The tip being instead primarily black with a red tipping instead. Lastly, the fur that surrounded it's neck had become much fluffier. It's arms stick out on either side of the black mass of fur, which no longer completely covered it's now thin neck, but instead it's upper pectoral region.  
  
Gladion's eyes widened at this new form, as it instantly knocked the reptile out with the new move it had just learned. The older boy blinked at it in utter shock. It noticed it's master's confusion, and looked down at itself. It made a low groaning noise as it began observing itself, before sitting on the floor like a dog. Gladion slowly approached it, gently petting it's mane and running his fingers through it's hair. His eyes gleamed with awe, "You...evolved. Just look at you."  
  
It didn't take long for Hau to catch up this, having already dealt with his own offender and healing up his Leafeon. He rushed over to the pair, hugging Gladion's arm. "W-Woah! Zorua looks so beautiful! Did it evolve?" he asked. Gladion nodded, taking his hands off his newly evolved pokémon. It grinned up at him happily, "Zoro! Zoroark!" Leafeon began communicating with it excitedly, eager to learn of this new form it's previously tiny friend acquired. Gladion chuckled, handing them both pokébeans as he pat Zoroark's head again.  
  
"Good boy...you've grown up so fast."  
  
"It sure has. But it's only got you to thank for how strong it's gotten!"  
  
"Heh...I guess so."  
  
Hau glanced down the cave. They still had a ways to go before they would reach Konikoni City. He smiled up at the blonde again, "Let's get going. We've still got a little ways to go before we get back to Route 9." Gladion nodded, calling for his Zoroark to stand up as he broke apart it's conversation with Leafeon. It happily obeyed, though it wobbled slightly as it walked, still not entirely used to it's new legs. Gladion chuckled, grabbing onto one of it's paws for support, "Here...I'll help you along, ok buddy?"  
  
Zoroark nodded, and they began down their path again as it began chattering away with Leafeon once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hamilton reference? What Hamilton reference? I don't have a problem ;w;


	42. Chapter 41 - A Rocky Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys finally arrive in Konikoni City and Hau takes his Grand Trial against Kahuna Olivia

Intimidating wasn't an adequate enough word to describe how nervous the 2 hoodlums felt. They had no idea what to make of the situation they had been thrust into so suddenly. After all, they had definitely never expected the president of the Aether Foundation to be so interested in them. Much less, offering them so much money for their cooperation. Regardless, they were sat in her office after a long and awkward ride on a small ferry sporting the Aether Foundation's unmistakable logo.  
  
The chair behind the desk in front of them was spun around. But the owner of which was not sat in it. Instead, she was standing in front of a window behind her chair. Staring out it silently. They shifted nervously, sweating bullets as they did so. After a few minutes, she finally sat back in her chair, before spinning it around to face them. They immediately were un-nerved by her face. Why did she look so familiar? Almost as if her face was similar to that of someone they had encountered before.  
  
She gave them an intimidating look as her eyes narrowed, snapping them out of even  _trying_ to figure it out. She glanced down at a couple of papers on her desk. Running her index finger along the lines of text almost with too much care. "Slink and Chunk, was it? You've both been listed as missing persons for approximately 3 years each. And  _one_ of you isn't even  _from_ this region. Isn't that right?" she said. They both gulped. Slink was the first to bite, "W-whatever it is you want, we-"  
  
" _Answer_...the question."  
  
"Y-Yes ma'am!"  
  
"...Good boy."  
  
She sat up, ceasing her lazy slump over her desk. "Here's the deal, kids. I need you to do something for me if you don't want me to do 1 of 3 things that you will most certainly regret," she declared. Chunk gulped, "A-And...those are?" She grinned maliciously, a disturbing grin that made them shiver in their seats. Did the room suddenly get cold? "Aren't  _you_ the smart one~? Well, firstly...I could easily report you  _both_ to the authorities and have you escorted back to your homes."  
  
They glanced behind them at the 2 Aether employees that were still stood by the door. One of them pulled out a phone, showing 2 keys had already been dialed as their thumb hovered above the third. The president continued, " _Second_ , I could send the police to your little hideout in Po Town right now and have  _all_ your little friends arrested. And you can just watch as I burn it to the ground~!" Slink swallowed hard, very hesitantly interrupting as his teeth chattered with fear.  
  
"A-And...the  _third_ option?"  
  
"Let's just say...nobody will ever hear from you again if I decided to pick door number 3."  
  
"Wh-whatever it is ya want, lady! We'll do it! J-Just don't do nuthin'!" Chunk begged. She reveled in their horrified expressions. She giggled, "There's a good boy. I just  _knew_ you two would come around~" She stood up out of her chair, causing them to flinch in terror. She walked over to them, putting a hand on either of the backs of their chairs. "Now then...I'm going to have you boys go to Akala Island. And tomorrow morning, I want you both at that ferry station the  _second_ it's open," she began explaining.  
  
Slink raised a brow at this, "Wh-what for?" Her grin became wider, if even possible. "Why, you two are going to carry out a special task. You see, I want you to keep your eye out for a certain boy. You don't have to confront him. Just follow him. And if he gets on a ferry...take the same one he takes. Then, when you arrive at your destination," she took out her cell phone, gesturing for them to take theirs out as well. She waited patiently as they entered her number into their phones, and theirs into hers.  
  
"...I would like for you to call me and tell me what you observed."  
  
"What if he don't show up?"  
  
She walked back over to her desk, slumping back into her chair, "Oh, he'll come." Chunk and Slink exchanged a quick glance before they looked at the president again. "Uh, that's all well and good miss, but there's still one more problem," Slink said. The president raised a brow at the boys. "And that is...?" she asked, patiently. "W-Well...what does this kid you're lookin' for even  _look_ like?" he asked. A malicious grin spread across her face again as she rested her chin on the back of her hand.  
  
"...Perhaps you might find the name 'Gladion Aether' a tad bit familiar~?"  


* * *

  
After much trial and tribulation, the boys had finally made it out of the tunnels and back onto Route 9. Zoroark was much more used to it's legs now, having plenty of opportunity to stretch them in it's battles inside the caves. The boys were both exhausted, however, having encountered quite a few wild pokémon. They were quite relived to be out of what they'd personally refer to as a death trap hellscape of reptiles and bats. Gladion pet his Zoroark as he sighed, "Thanks for the help in there, Zoroark."  
  
"Ark!" it barked. Leafeon shook the mounds of dirt and mud from it's fur coat. However, that didn't cover everything. It's ears drooped as it groaned in frustration. Hau chuckled, rubbing the back his neck nervously, "Good thing we're close to the city. Let's stop by the Pokémon Center. You guys could use a rest." The pokémon nodded in agreement. They followed the boys into the city, obediently returning to their pokéballs once they reached the Pokémon Center.   
  
Once the boys entered however, they were surprised to find both Moon  _and_ Burnet standing by the front desk talking to each other. Hau could feel Gladion's tension as the older boy squeezed his hand. The girls noticed them almost immediately. Burnet became noticeably apprehensive, much to Moon and Rotom's confusion. Hesitantly, the boys approached them. Moon smiled at them softly. She seemed almost relieved to see them, "Oh, good. You guys are ok after all."  
  
"Of course. Were you worried about us?" Hau asked, raising a brow at her. Moon put a hand on her hip, "Of course I was, ya big dummies! That was messed  _up_." Gladion rubbed his arm nervously before he met her eyes. "...Did she...?" he couldn't even finish the question as he bit his lip. She gave him a pitiful look, "...I beat her. As soon as she was out of pokémon, she turned tail and ran off. She called a Charizard and left. Haven't seen 'er since. Hell, she's probably long gone from the island by now."  
  
Gladion slumped slightly. His foolish plan would've been pointless anyways. He began to feel guilty for putting Hau through all that again. "I see..." he muttered. She shook her head, "What happened back there, anyways? It looked like she was bullying you guys." Gladion hesitantly lifted his head and straightened his posture. "She threatened Hau. So I challenged her to a battle after I tried to reason with her. But I lost...and...she just started... _taunting_ me," he admitted. Moon winced at this explanation.  
  
Burnet sighed, heart broken to hear that Lillie was capable of such behavior. True as it were she had already gotten a general gist from Moon. But hearing the full front of it from Gladion was much worse than she had imagined. She tried justifying it up until this point. Telling herself Moon must've been mistaken. But it was all a lie in the end. "I'm real sorry about all this, Hanini," Moon sighed. Gladion took a deep breath, "It's fine. At least...she's safe. That's all I really wanted."  
  
Burnet stepped forward, gaining all 3 of the children's immediate attention. She looked down at Gladion with a sorrowful look. "Listen...I just want to apologize for what I said. You were right. It's not my place to judge you, nor is it to justify what your mother is doing. Here, I want you to take this..." she said, before pulling out a strange looking touch pad device from her bag and handing it to the boys. They both grabbed it on either side, staring down at it curiously. Gladion looked up at Burnet curiously after a brief look.  
  
"What's this?" he asked. Moon smiled and stepped forward to gain their attention, "Since Burnet knows a thing or 2 about technical stuff from her husband, I thought I'd have her make you guys a little something so that you can call me." Hau's eyes shone with stars, "Wow! R-Really?!" Burnet mustered a weak smile and nodded. "Yes. It can access the internet, make calls, and while it doesn't have Pokédex functions, it does have the ability to scan a pokémon and identify it by name."  
  
"That's so cool! Thanks a lot you guys!" Hau beamed. Rotom nodded, pointing to his screen. "A-A-Anytime you make a call, it'll wire right to me! It's alre-e-eady been programmed- Zzt! -into the device. You just have to push a couple of buttons and viola~! Zzt!" he explained. Gladion didn't smile, but he managed to look Burnet in the eye. "Thank you, Burnet...this will be really helpful," he muttered. She smiled sadly again, looking away from him. Hau's smile faded as Gladion suddenly handed the tablet completely over to him.  
  
Then, without warning, he wrapped his arms around Burnet. Both Hau and Moon were caught just as shocked as Burnet. She blinked for a moment, staring down at the boy, almost unsure if she should return the gesture. She felt a shaky breath escape him as his grip tightened. "I forgive you..." he whispered. Those simple words made tears prick at her eyes. Slowly, she smiled warmly as she wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you...stay safe out there for me, will you?" she replied.  
  
He nodded. They stayed like this for a moment before he pulled off of her. He wiped a couple of stray tears from his face. Suddenly, a thought hit him. "O-Oh...my Zorua evolved not too long ago on our way here," he admitted. She blinked in surprise, "Oh my! Really?" He nodded, "It's a...Zoroark now. It's become really magnificent looking." She smiled, patting his head endearingly as she giggled. "I knew it'd be in good hands with you. You've become quite the trainer, you know~" she praised.  
  
He blushed in embarrassment. It faded as soon as she took her hand off him, however. "Well, I hate to cut this short. But I really should get back to the lab before it gets too dark. Good luck on your travels you two! Oh and...my number is on there as well if you ever need anything," she offered, before walking past them and out the front door. They all waved at her as she departed, even Gladion, who smiled faintly as soon as she was out of view. Hau put the tablet into Gladion's satchel, his own bag too full to carry it.  
  
This brought Gladion's attention back to Moon. "So, I guess you're here to prepare for the Grand Trial as well?" he asked. She smirked smugly, flicking her long hair with her hand. "Nope~! I've already passed  _my_ trial~!" she bragged. Hau's eyes sparkled again, "Woah! No way! For real?!" She grinned smugly, flashing a brand new Z Crystal to prove her achievement. The boys observed it carefully, taken aback yet again by her incredible skill. "Y-You work fast..." Gladion muttered.  
  
Her smile faltered a bit, "Weeelll, I  _was_ gonna wait for Hau. But it looked like you boys needed some time to yourselves." Gladion blushed and nodded, "You know...I think we did. Sorry to make you wait, though." The boys looked down, finally noticing a cutesy bipedal plant pokémon stood beside Moon. It barely reached above her knees, and stared back up at them with beady violet eyes. The calyx on the top of it's head was surrounded by four large leaves that much resembled hair.   
  
"Steen~!" it greeted, waving one of it's arms at them eagerly. They waved back at it, Gladion looking up at Moon again as she spoke up. "It wasn't a big deal. This here is my new partner, Steenee. She was a Bounsweet when I found 'er in the Lush Jungle buuut, she evolved pretty quick. Must've been a lot stronger than most Bounsweet," she explained. Hau beamed, "Aww! It looks so cute!" Gladion smirked, "I dunno...I think it pales in comparison to  _your_ cuteness."  
  
Hau's face turned red as he squeaked. Gladion couldn't help but chuckle at the reaction. Ironically, he was just getting cuter. Moon gave them an odd look as she sneered at the blonde. Both boys snapped out of the moment at this. "O-Oh, right. We um...we're kind of uhhh...dating," Hau sputtered, still embarrassed by the compliment. Moon's eyes nearly popped out of her skull, "Holy shit! I mean,  _finally_. You guys were sooo obvious!" They blinked at her blankly before they spoke in unison again.  
  
"We were?"  
  
Her eye nearly twitched. She held up her hands, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "You know what? It doesn't matter. Congrats for finally figuring it out," she insisted. Gladion's eyes lit up suddenly as he remembered why they were even there to begin with. "Oh! Hau, I'm gonna go heal my team at the front desk. Do you need me to hold anything for you?" he said. Hau shook his head, grabbing onto the straps of his backpack, "Nah, you go on ahead. I'll wait till you're done."  
  
Moon smirked at Hau once Gladion departed to the front desk. "Sooo, who cracked first~?" she teased. Hau's face burned up again, "M-Mooon! It's  _embarrassing_...!" She giggled, "Oh my Arceus,  _look_ at you, dude! No  _wonder_ he thinks you're adorable. I could just pinch your cheeks myself." Hau pouted indignantly. He huffed, "F-For your information, I told him first." She grinned mischievously, pulling him into a one-sided hug as she wrapped her arm around his shoulders, "Well aren't  _you_ a little casanova~?"  
  
"I was just..."  
  
"Hmmm~?"  
  
"...I mean...I already kissed him. I thought that-"  
  
"You kissed  _before_ you confessed? Oh, Hau...Hau, Hau, Hau. You've much to learn about courting, my friend."  
  
"I-I asked him first! I thought it was fine!"  
  
Moon snickered, pulling herself off of him as she threw her arms up in surrender. "Chill, chill, I'm just bein' a pain in the ass. Seriously, though, I told ya so," she bragged. He groaned, before smiling shyly, "Yeah...you did." Gladion approached them before Moon could even attempt to make more jabs, signaling for Hau to approach the front desk himself. Once they swapped places, Gladion called his Zoroark back out of it's ball. It hugged and nuzzled Gladion affectionately, feeling completely rejuvenated.  
  
Gladion chuckled, gently pushing his eager pokémon off himself. "Ok ok, down boy. We'll go outside to play in a minute," he assured. The Zoroark seemed content by this promise, once again sitting itself down like a dog. Moon stared at the large creature with curiosity as Rotom began snapping more pictures of it. "S-So rare! Zzt!" he gasped. "Talk about making an impression. How did that little guy become so big and scary lookin' so fast?" she asked, gently petting Zoroark's mane, much to it's delight.  
  
Gladion smiled, a hint of sadness in his expression, "I have no idea. But I'm still proud of how strong it's gotten." Moon noticed his expression. She frowned a bit, "Guess it feels like raising your own kid, huh?" His smile completely faded as he fully frowned. He sighed, "Yeah...I think it is. Still, I wouldn't trade it for anything." Moon smiled at him, "I think you'd make a pretty cool dad. Way better than your lousy mom, that's for sure." He stared at her in slight shock for a moment.  
  
It had been so long since he even considered raising this pokémon as some way of proving his worth to his mother. Over time, he had genuinely come to care for it like a real child. It was a kinship he hadn't had since...he shook his head to snap himself out of it as he felt his Zoroark nuzzle his thigh. He smiled, petting it's snout and mane to appease it. He let out a slight chuckle, "Hm...even so, I'm sure it'll be with me for a while longer now." Moon felt touched just gazing on the spectacle.  
  
The moment was once again interrupted as Hau returned to them. He had already called out his Torracat, who was excited by Zoroark's new form. Zoroark stopped nuzzling it's trainer, instead curiously poking at Torracat as it sniffed at it. Hau turned to look at Moon as he grabbed Gladion's hand, "So I guess you're gonna go to Ula'Ula? Or are you gonna take the rest of the day off?" Moon gave him another odd look, "Are you kidding? I at  _least_ gotta see your trial before I even  _think_  about booking it."  
  
"Are you sure?" Hau blinked. Moon nodded, putting her hands on her hips. "Totally! I wanna see how strong my rival's gotten, after all," she declared. The younger boy smiled, "A-Alright then. Let's go!" Once again, the trio set off together. Their pokémon followed close behind, quickly noticing their masters's departure. Steenee began hopping up at the Zoroark, eager to touch it's mane. Zoroark picked it up, placing the small pokémon snugly at the top of it's mane to ride.  
  
It cheered excitably, clapping it's hands together as it reveled in the new heights. Moon stretched out her arms and yawned, "Well, it was about time you guys got it over with. Do you two even  _know_ how exhausting it gets not saying anything?" Gladion blinked, "Y-You knew...?!" She gave him an impatient look. "Hau already fessed up, but  _you_ were just obvious. Not that I  _needed_ Hau to tell me. You guys are always holding hands and gazing at each other," she explained.  
  
They both blushed in embarrassment at this, Gladion tugging one of the strings of his hoodie again. He glanced at Hau, "So when did you tell her anyways?" Hau rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled nervously, "Um...when we were at Aether Paradise. She had me totally figured out." Moon rolled her eyes, "Sometimes I think you guys don't even know how alike you think." They blinked at her, but they both considered the theory carefully. After all, even in all their differences, their resolves were similar if not identical altogether.  
  
Suddenly, Moon noticed the people they passed were gawking at them. She became a bit nervous, turning her head to check on her pokémon. Something in her gut told her that was the source. Then, she stopped in her tracks as her eyes grew wide. The boys noticed, also stopping to turn and see what she was looking at. They both froze, wide-eyed and jaws dropped at the sight that beheld them. Steenee was no longer sitting atop Zoroark's head. Instead, she was sat atop...an  _Entei_?!  
  
What was a legendary pokémon doing here so suddenly?! And where did Zoroark go? Why was Steenee sitting on it's head? Steenee stared down at them curiously, seeming unable to understand their panic. The Entei tilted it's head at them. Gladion took a slight step back as it began sniffing at him curiously. Then, Gladion began to ease as it nuzzled his bangs and messied them. His wide eyes narrowed as he slowly brought a hand up to creature's face.  
  
"Wait..." he muttered, putting a hand on the top of it's muzzle. Suddenly, the creature was enveloped in a dark aura as it's form shifted. Once the aura faded, there stood Zoroark in it's place, Gladion's hand still rested on it's muzzle. They stared in bewilderment. "Zoroark...you can...?" the older boy gasped in amazement. Zoroark barked, nuzzling Gladion's face again. Moon grinned, "Woah! Kick _ass_! It can transform itself into  _other_ pokémon?!" Gladion gulped, gently pushing his Zoroark away.  
  
"D-Don't do that out here, Zoroark! You'll attract unwanted attention," he scolded with a pout. Zoroark nodded, understanding the order in full. Hau chuckled, "He sure is a trickster! I'll bet that's  _real_ useful in battle." Gladion blinked at the suggestion as he turned around, "I...guess it  _could_ be. Maybe it's some kind of Special Ability." They all continued along their path, eventually reaching their destination at the Ruins of Life. Hau looked to Moon curiously, "This is where you took yours, Moon?"  
  
Moon nodded, putting a hand on her hip, "Sure is. Olivia said she'd be in the shrine praying after I beat her." Hau nodded, taking Gladion's hand and staring up at him with a glint in his eye. Gladion squeezed his hand, "Are you sure you're ready?" Hau nodded, smiling warmly, "I'm sure. Just so long as you'll be there to watch me." Gladion smirked, "As if I could take my eyes off of you~" Hau blushed again. Slowly, they all entered the main entrance that lead inside the ruins.  
  
However, just as they were about to go inside to look for the Kahuna, she emerged from the entrance with a strange looking rock pokémon. She had dark skin, much like Hau, and odd-looking ebony hair that was mostly spiky with a single long curl stretched across the top of her head. She had on rather provocative clothing, and a plethora of jewelry, all of which containing the common theme of the color pink. Of course, there were hints of aqua, such as her painted nails. She too had dark, black eyes.  
  
Most notably was her pink earrings, much resembling rare cut gemstones. She wore pink lipstick as well, keeping in theme with her overall look. Her flip-flops even had heels on them. She was the epitome of keeping up one's appearance. Her angular pokémon seemed to move with great difficulty, it's movement mostly stilted and slow. Somehow, though, this didn't impede it's ability to keep up. The woman quickly noticed the children, instantly recognizing Moon as she approached them.   
  
"Oh, Moon! Hello again! What brings you back here?" she greeted.  
  
"Hello again, Kahuna Olivia. I'm just here to watch," she explained, gesturing to the boys. Olivia's eyes lit up, "Ohhh, new challengers I see. And my, what gorgeous pokémon you both have!" Hau beamed, "Actually, it's just me. My friend here isn't taking his trials, but he's travelling with me to learn how to be a pokémon trainer." Olivia nodded in understanding, "I see, I see. Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm Olivia. And you must be Hau~!" Hau was caught off-guard by the greeting.  
  
"H-Huh?! You know who I am?!" he yelped. She giggled, cupping one of her cheeks in her hand, "Of course I do! I talk with your grandfather all the time! Why, I've known him ever since I was almost just as little as you!" Hau's panic melted back into eagerness as he grinned. "Oh, really? That's pretty cool!" he said. Olivia giggled again, "So then, you're here to take my Grand Trial, is that it?" Hau nodded, "Yes please! I've finished all my other trials. Have a look."  
  
He handed Olivia his trainer ID card quickly, and it didn't take her long to scan through it before she handed it right back to him. "Everything looks to be in order! We'll have it here," she instructed, turning around to distance herself from the children. Moon stood off to the side, Gladion's Zoroark following after her. Gladion grabbed Hau's hands, gazing into his eyes, "I believe in you. You can do this." Hau blushed and smiled shyly, "Mahalo, alola...cheer for me, ok?"   
  
Gladion chuckled and nodded, before pulling himself from Hau to join Moon and his pokémon. Hau turned his attention to Olivia, his blush fading as he put all his focus into the trial ahead of him. Torracat stepped forward, it's tail swaying in the air as it glared down it's opponent, Olivia's pokémon. She still had her back turned to the kids, a hand on her hip. "I hope you're ready for my adorable, rugged partners, Hau..." she cooed, before turning her head to look at him. "Let's begin!"  
  
She turned herself around completely, pointing her pokémon towards Hau's Torracat. "Nosepass, let's start this off with Thunder Wave!" she ordered. Nosepass fired a wave of electrical rings that quickly surrounded Torracat and shocked it. While it didn't seem to sustain any damage, it's muscles locked up instantly. "Mrrrow!" it cried, struggling to even twitch. Moon crossed her arms and pouted, "Is he  _sure_ he wants to start this shebang off with a  _Fire_ Type?"  
  
Gladion didn't look at her, his bangs shielding his eyes from her, "Hau knows what he's doing...trust me." Hau's determined look didn't falter, "Torracat, use Roar!" Torracat twitched, but somehow managed to power through it's Paralysis for long enough to let out a loud and terrifying cry. It was comparable to the cry of a Pyroar. The Nosepass shook with fear, as it retreated back into it's pokéball. Olivia's eyes widened in surprise, "Oh! Dear me! Were you frightened, Nosepass...?"  
  
She shook her head, taking out another pokéball and tossing it into the air, "Boldore, let's quake the battlefield~!" The pokémon in question lived up to it's name, looking much like a large, blue boulder. It had red crystals spread across it's body and just slightly resembled the stance of an arachnid. It groaned so low it sounded like it was growling. Just like Nosepass, it too seemed to have stilted and slow movement. Olivia grinned, "Boldore, use Rock Blast!"  
  
Hau bit his lip as the Boldore began spitting out rocks at his Torracat. Torracat hissed in pain at each rock that hit it's face. On the third, it growled in agitation as a dark aura enveloped it. Hau winced, growing anxious as he could see Torracat's rage boiling.  _Come on..._ he thought. As the last rock came flying towards Torracat, it hissed in complete rage as the static that covered it's body broke away completely. It leaped up, slicing the rock in half with it's claws before landing on the ground safely.  
  
Olivia blinked in shock, "H-How?! I paralyzed it with Nosepass!" Hau smirked, "Funny thing about that. My Torracat doesn't really like getting his coat all dirty." Moon's eyes widened as Rotom flailed in disbelief. "He-e-e used Torracat's weakness as a trump card! Amazing! Zzt!" he cried. Gladion smiled, "Hmph...just as I thought." Zoroark and Steenee began cheering it on excitedly. Moon glanced to Gladion in bewilderment, "Hold up there, Mr Sunshine! You sound like you knew about this plan!"  
  
"Well, not really knew. He and I were training for quite a while. While we were training, I saw him coaching his Torracat on how to channel it's rage most effectively."  
  
"W-Woah! Seriously?"  
  
Gladion nodded, "Mm. He wanted to make sure it didn't spiral out of control."  
  
Moon blinked again, before turning her head to watch Hau and Olivia's battle again. Torracat's dark aura had eased up a bit, but it still seemed agitated. Hau wiped his thumb along his nose before he beamed brightly. "Torracat, take it out with Double Kick!" he commanded. Rotom gasped in shock. "A Fi-i-ighting Type move! That's bad news for the Kahuna!" he cried. Torracat nodded, darting forward before turning itself around and kicking into the Boldore with it's back legs.  
  
The Boldore cried out in pain, stumbling back a bit. Torracat laid yet another kick onto it, knocking it back even further. It was incredibly weakened by the attack, but it was still stood up. Torracat landed on the ground across from it. It was still seething with rage, but it kept itself in check. Olivia grinned bemusingly, "Nice foot work. Too bad you couldn't knock me out~" Hau frowned and nodded, "Yeah. I know. It's got Sturdy, right?" Moon's eyes lit up again with shock.  
  
"Huh? He knew he couldn't get an instant KO?" she asked. Gladion sweat a bit, staring tensely at the spectacle. Their pokémon continued to cheer however. They were far too excited to pay attention to their words. Olivia giggled, "Sorry about this, Hau. But I'm sure even  _you_ figured that you couldn't survive this trial with Fire Type forever. Boldore, Rock Blast, again!" Boldore shot another array of rocks into Torracat, damaging it significantly. It hissed with each shot, enduring 5 hits this time.  
  
However, miraculously, it was still on it's feet after the final shot. It was scratched up and it's fur was completely filthy. It growled angrily, it's eye twitching with rage. Olivia blinked, frowning sheepishly, "Oh dear...!" Hau shook his head, "Checkmate, Olivia. Torracat, end this with Bite!" Torracat lunged forward, sinking it's teeth with great difficulty into the rocky skin of the Boldore. It groaned loudly in pain, tumbling backwards onto it's back. It stopped it's movements entirely, completely exhausted of energy.  
  
Rotom raised one of it's limbs up into the air as it declared the result aloud, "Boldore is unable to battle! Torracat wins!" Torracat winced in pain as it backed away from the now immobile target. It breathed heavily, it's rage beginning to fade from it's exhaustion. Hau smiled, "Great work out there, Torracat." It looked back at it's master, mewing lowly in acknowledgement. As Olivia called back her Boldore, Hau called back his own pokémon, pulling out his Dive Ball instead.  
  
Moon blinked, "He's switching to a Water Type  _now_? Torracat still had some fight left in him." Gladion nodded, "Yeah. But it was becoming too exhausted to utilize it's rage. And Nosepass still has Thunder Wave over it." Rotom nodded, "Mm. That move was a miraculous trick. Bu-u-ut it probably won't always work i-i-in Hau's favor." As Olivia called her Nosepass back out, Hau tossed his own pokéball into the air to call out his Crabrawler. As soon as it appeared on the battlefield, it flexed it's fists, eager to warm-up.  
  
"A Crabrawler, huh?" Olivia blinked. She smiled, "You're not so different from your old man after all, huh?" Hau smiled, "Guess not." She giggled again before she regained her focus. "Nosepass, Thunder Wave!" she commanded. Another ring of electricity ensnared Crabrawler and locked up it's muscles, much to it's dismay. It hissed in annoyance, "Craaa!" Hau sweat a bit, knowing this would be a much harder setback to get past. Regardless, he had to gave an order.  
  
"Crabrawler, Dizzy Punch!" he commanded. Crabrawler tried it's best to escape the grip of it's paralysis. However, it was unsuccessful and merely squirmed futilely. "Use Spark, Nosepass!" Olivia cried. Nosepass nodded, as electricity began radiating off of it like an aura that manifested itself. Then, it fired a beam of electricity that Crabrawler couldn't dodge. It hissed in pain, but managed to keep it's ground, only left with a couple of scratches from the blow.  
  
"Try again Crabrawler, you can do it! Dizzy Punch!" Hau called. Still, Crabrawler was unable to break free of it's electric-induced prison. Moon and Gladion both became uneasy at this, and even moreso when it was hit with another dose of Nosepass's Spark at Olivia's command. "C'mon Hau...it's your only advantage...!" Moon whispered. Rotom beeped with uncertainty, "Even though it's not we-e-eak to the attacks, if it can't find a way to break out of the Paralysis soon, it'll be unconscious before it can get a hit in!"  
  
_Come on, Hau..._ Gladion thought. Zoroark and Steenee were cheering much more loudly now, urging and encouraging the Crabrawler to break out of the Paralysis with all their heart and soul. Once again, Hau repeated his command, determined to land a successful hit, "Come on Crabrawler...Dizzy Punch it!" The Crabrawler's feet began to shift, and it struggled to move. However, by some miracle, it managed the strength to dive forward and sock the Nosepass with a powerful punch at the base of it's head.  
  
The Nosepass stumbled back, wobbling a bit before it stopped itself. It's eyes rolled as it swayed around dizzily. It had been successfully disoriented by the hit and was left hopelessly confused. Moon and Gladion both smiled with relief and excitement at the achievement. Hau smirked smugly, "Looks like we're  _both_ in a rough spot now." Olivia blinked as she cupped her cheek with one of her hands again, "Oh dear! My poor rugged baby! Try to focus yourself, use Rock Slide!"  
  
The order went unanswered as the Nosepass accidentally knocked itself in the face, knocking itself onto it's back but not knocking itself out. She cried out in surprise, "Oh!" Hau nodded, stars shining in his eyes as he grinned excitedly, "Crabrawler, you're doing good. Think you can get another hit in?" Crabrawler nodded, still fighting against it's Paralysis. "Alright then, hit it with Power-Up Punch!" Hau ordered. Crabrawler once again powered through it's condition and landed another punch on the Nosepass.  
  
This time, it was damaged much more, but it still wasn't down yet. It was still hopelessly confused as well. Trying it's best to focus on it's target and failing miserably. Olivia became more frantic now, "Nosepass, focus! Use Rock Slide!" Yet again, it was a vain order as it slapped itself again. Granted, this time, it didn't knock itself over. However, it was still unable to understand where it even was. As they all looked to Hau again, they notice his hand was on his Z-Ring.  
  
Moon's eyes widened as she saw that he was putting a Z-Crystal in it's slot. Zoroark and Steenee noticed as well, Zoroark reaching up it's arms to take Steenee off of it's head and putting it on the ground. It blinked in confusion, staring up at Zoroark curiously. Then, Zoroark shifted it's form to that of an Exeggutor, urging for the children to gather beneath it's leaves. They obliged nervously, still staring at Hau as he tapped on his crystal, causing it to radiate with immense power.  
  
A bright aura enveloped his Crabrawler as he began doing a dance-like maneuver that was much like a hula-dance. However, it was as if he was channeling the ocean itself. Once he was done, the Crabrawler was glowing brightly with immense power. The static completely dissipated as it growled. Olivia blinked nervously, taking a step back as she knew what was coming. "Uh oh..." she muttered. The children stared in awe from beneath their shelter as Hau shouted out his attack.  
  
**_"HYDRO VORTEX!!!"  
  
_**A mass of water, almost as endless as the ocean itself manifested around Crabrawler's body. Then, it darted forward, circling around Nosepass at immense speeds. The disoriented Nosepass had no chance of even  _attempting_ to keep up. The water that surrounded Crabrawler began swirling, surrounding the Nosepass entirely. Then, it formed a whirl-pool like tornado of water as the Crabrawler seemed to disappear into it. The Nosepass was swept up into it helplessly, the full force of the attack hitting it hard.  
  
After a minute, the vortex of water dispersed as Crabrawler hopped out of it. The water came down like an artificial rain. Steenee danced around in it, clapping and cheering with excitement. The children were able to stay dry under the leaves of Zoroark's temporary form, but they were still caught in awe of the spectacle. Nosepass fell to the ground with a hard crash, while Crabrawler landed safely across from it. Olivia gasped upon it's crash. Rotom floated out from under the Exeggutor leaves once the rain had stopped.  
  
"...No-o-osepass is unable to battle! Cra-a-abrawler wins! Zzt!" he declared. Zoroark returned to it's initial form, barking excitedly at the victory. Olivia frowned sheepishly, calling back her Nosepass with a pouty look. "You were good out there, sweetie. Get some rest," she praised. Moon crossed her arms as her awe melted back into tenseness. "Well...there's only one pokémon left," she admitted. Gladion glanced at her with slight surprise at the statement, "Really? He's got this in the bag, then!"  
  
She frowned sheepishly, "I dunno about that. Even with the disadvantage, this last one's  _pretty_ tough." Gladion blinked at this, but decided to not let it falter his faith in Hau. Olivia took a deep breath, smiling up at Hau as she took out her last pokéball. "You've done well so far, Hau. You're doing very good. But you've still got one more hurdle before you can claim victory over me~" she said. Hau raised a brow at this, "Oh yeah? And what's that?" She giggled, tossing her ball into the air.  
  
"Lycanroc! Show your fangs!"  
  
The hunched over and bipedal wolf emerged with an intimidating aura as it escaped the light. Hau and Gladion both were a bit surprised by it. "It's...just like my Lycanroc," Gladion said. Moon gave him a shocked look, "Your Rockruff evolved into  _that_ thing...?!" Gladion nodded, "It...evolved at night. While it was training." Hau blinked curiously, "A Lycanroc, huh? This ought to be easy!" He smirked, "Crabrawler, use Bubble Beam!" Olivia grinned widely as she pointed her Lycanroc towards Crabrawler.  
  
"Zen Headbutt~!" she commanded. Hau gasped in shock, as Gladion's face paled with horror. Lycanroc dashed forward, slamming it's hard skull against Crabrawler's and knocking it back a few feet until it stopped at Hau's feet. Rotom observed it's condition, and made the call as he raised a limb in the air, "Crabrawler is unable to battle! Lycanroc wins! Zzt!" Hau sweat a bit, calling back his Crabrawler as he bit his lower lip nervously. Olivia continued to giggle gleefully as she shot Hau a challenging look.  
  
Hau tossed another pokéball out as he called his pokémon's name, "Leafeon, it's your turn!" Leafeon landed on the battlefield majestically, cooing with excitement. "Razor Leaf!" Hau commanded. Leafeon took a defensive stance, as an array of sharp leaves rose up off the grass floor around them and shot themselves at Lycanroc. However, it managed to dodge every single one with incredible speed. Leafeon cried out in surprise, taking a step back nervously as it's ears drooped.  
  
Hau only got more anxious as Olivia raised up her left wrist with a smug grin. Tapping on the crystal embedded in her Z-Ring, she began maneuvering in a dance that was much like a spectacle of strength, flexing her arms in the process as she did so. Her Lycanroc glowed with the same aura that had previously enveloped Crabrawler. Zoroark and Steenee stared speechless in awe as the werewolf pokémon grinned a maniacal and toothy grin, jumping up into the air as it's trainer called out it's attack.  
  
**_"CONTINENTAL CRUSH!!!"  
  
_**Lycanroc disappeared from view as a gigantic boulder formed in the skies. Then, once it was completely formed, Lycanroc pushed it down with great force onto the defenseless Leafeon who was unable to escape the shadows before it hit. The rocks scattered in all sorts of directions, prompting Zoroark to change it's form again as it transformed itself into a Regigigas and punched any oncoming rocks away, obliterating them as a threat to the bystanding children. Once they stopped falling, it returned to it's initial form again.  
  
Lycanroc was already back on the ground, and Leafeon was laid on the ground motionless. It was covered in dirt and scratches from the attack. At first, everyone was sure it had fainted, until it twitched it's limbs. Slowly, it managed to pull itself onto it's feet. Though not without great struggle in doing so. It's ears continued to droop, almost completely exhausted of all it's energy. It breathed heavily, struggling to stand up without wobbling around. Hau blinked in utter shock. Even  _he_ was sure Leafeon wouldn't survive the blow.  
  
Olivia was just as shocked if not more so. Hau quickly forced himself to snap out of his shock. He had to focus. It was unlikely he'd get another opening like this. "Leafeon, Razor Leaf!" he ordered again. Leafeon growled, sending another onslaught of leaves at the Lycanroc and scratching it up quite a bit, even if managed to dodge half of the oncoming leaves. However, it was unable to render the Lycanroc unconscious. "Lycanroc, Bite it!" Olivia ordered. Leafeon cried out in pain as the towering wolf sunk it's sharp teeth into it's coat.  
  
It instantly passed out, prompting the Lycanroc to drop it and jump back. Rotom chimed in yet again, "Leafeon is unable to battle! Ly-y-ycanroc wins!" Hau sweat a bit more as he called his Leafeon back into it's pokéball. Gladion held a hand to his chest, gazing at Hau worriedly. Hau noticed this look as their eyes locked. Slowly, Gladion mustered a smile. He whispered, but somehow, Hau could make out what he said as he spoke. "Don't give up...I believe in you," he cooed.  
  
Hau eased up, nodding as he pulled out another pokéball. He stared down at it for a moment.  _I can do this..._ he thought. He tossed the ball into the air, calling out his companion pokémon. "Pikachu, let's go!" he called. Pikachu landed safely, grinning eagerly as it's cheeks sparked. "Pikachu~!" it chirped. "Pikachu, use Electro Ball!" Hau ordered. Pikachu jumped up into the air, it's cheeks forming a yellow ball of pure electricity as it spun around. Then, it slapped the ball into it's target with full force.  
  
Lycanroc was unable to dodge it, and was knocked back quite a ways by it. It winced in pain, the attack seeming to do a lot more damaged than it or Olivia had expected. Her eyes lit up in surprise, "That's pretty powerful!" Hau nodded, "Your Lycanroc is pretty fast. Which means Electro Ball will do that much more damage when it hits. It's best strength is now officially a blaring weakness." He smirked as Olivia began to sweat with the realization she was cornered.  
  
"L-Lycanroc! Use Rock Throw!"   
  
"Double Team!"  
  
The Lycanroc was unable to pin down it's target correctly as it began hallucinating multiple Pikachus on the battlefield. It took a blind guess as it threw a rock towards it's target, but it gambled incorrectly. Hau smirked, "Gotcha...Pikachu, finish it off with one more dose of Electro Ball!" Another ball of damaging electricity was thrown towards the Lycanroc, hitting it hard and knocking it onto it's back after it flew through the air from the impact of the blast. As it slid towards Olivia's feet, it's tongue stuck out out of it's mouth tiredly as it's eyes swirled.  
  
Rotom flailed excitably as he declared the final results, "Kahuna Olivia is out of eligible pokémon for battle! Pikachu and Hau win!" Gladion and Moon instantly beamed with both relief and gratitude. Pikachu jumped into Hau's arms to hug him, chittering happily at the victory. Hau chuckled as it nuzzled his face lovingly. Olivia sighed, calling back her Lycanroc as she pouted slightly. "And here I thought I had him...that's what I get for underestimating Kawika's son..."  
  
Gladion and Moon reunited with Hau, their pokémon following close behind. Pikachu climbed out of Hau's arms, instead resting on his shoulders as it greeted the two trainers excitedly. "Pika pika!" it called. Hau wrapped his arms around Gladion's neck in an excited hug as he grinned brightly. "I actually did it! Thanks for helping me train for this, alola!" Gladion blushed, wrapping his arms around Hau as he smiled. "Hey, I can't take credit for your strategy. I knew you'd win," he chuckled.  
  
Pikachu climbed onto Gladion's head, bouncing off of it to join Steenee in Zoroark's fluffy mane. The two began communicating excitedly about the battle Pikachu had just participated in as the boys pulled off of each other. Moon nodded in approval, giving Hau a thumbs up as she winked at him, "Couldn't have done a better job myself! Nice work out there, dude." Hau beamed at her, flattered by their praises. Olivia approached the children, breaking up their conversation as they turned to look at her.  
  
She smiled, "Well, congratulations Hau. You passed my trial. Which means you are now eligible to take the trials on Ula'Ula Island!" She held out a Z-Crystal identical to the one Moon had showed off earlier, taking his trainer ID card again to stamp it with proof he had indeed passed his trial. Once she was done, she handed it back to him. "Just what I expected from Hala's grandson. I'll be sure to tell him all about how strong you've gotten~!" she praised. Hau blushed as he scratched his cheek nervously.  
  
"Hehe, thanks miss Olivia," Hau chuckled nervously. Gladion stepped forward, taking the sparkling stone out of his bag. "B-Before you go, miss..." he interrupted. She glanced at him curiously, taking the stone as he offered it to her. She examined it carefully, instantly recognizing it. "Oh, well would you look at that," she said. Gladion nodded, "Tapu Lele gave it to me. I was wondering if you could possibly engineer a Z-Ring out of it for me?" She sneered at it carefully, "Well, I will admit, I've never seen a stone like  _this_ one before...but I think I can fix something up for you. Just stop by my Jewelry Store tomorrow morning to pick it up."

"R-Really? Thank you so much!" Gladion smiled.

"Well, I should be off now. You kids should head home too. It's going to be dark out soon, you know."  
  
"Will do! It was a pleasure to meet you, Olivia!" Hau beamed.  
  
"You as well, kids. Have a good night! And good luck on your trials!"  
  
They all watched as she departed from the ruins, before exchanging relieved and tired looks. Moon stretched her arms out again and yawned. "Welp, I should get some rest. I'll be taking the ferry out to Ula'Ula first thing tomorrow. You boys taking the Mantine surfing service again?" she asked. Hau nodded, taking Gladion's hand in his, "Yeah, it was really fun last time!" She waved them off as she began departing as well, "Sounds like it...see ya guys around. And  _don't_ break that tablet."  
  
Zoroark took Steenee off of it's head, placing it on the ground again as it bid it farewell. It waved as it followed after Moon, both Zoroark and Pikachu waving back as they called out to it. The boys waved as well until they were all out of sight. Hau turned to look at Gladion, nuzzling his shoulder as he hugged his arm. "Will you be ok if I call a Charizard to take us home?" he asked. Gladion blushed, before smiling warmly. "Of course...so long as I can hold onto you the whole way there~"  


* * *

  
The room was much more quiet than it was when the boys first arrived. Noibat and Golbat were huddled together on the ceiling, having turned in early as they snored softly beside each other. Zoroark, Lycanroc, and Torracat were all sat on the couch watching cartoons, while Pikachu and Crabrawler were sat on the coffee table to watch as well. Type:Null was quietly watching the brother Umbreon and Leafeon wrestle each other on the floor by the bed. Every now and again grunting in a scold when it got too rough.  
  
Gladion was stood by the drawer while Hau was getting ready for bed in the bathroom. They were planning to depart tomorrow, so he wanted to be sure they got all their things in their bags before morning. However, despite the distance between them, they passed their time with light conversation. "Are you excited to see Ula'Ula, Glad?" Hau asked. Gladion considered this question for a moment. He had definitely already decided to travel with Hau, but he wondered about seeing the sights of Alola.  
  
He looked down slightly as he answered, "I guess. I've never really explored the islands before now. I know it'll be a lot of fun with you there." Hau blushed at this, "Awww, Glad! You're killing me here!" Gladion became sheepish with panic for a moment, before he realized it was just a figure of speech. He sighed exhaustively.  _I need to stop doing that..._ he thought. "Do you think the Kahuna there knows your grandpa as well?" he asked, eager to change the subject.  
  
"Hmmm...probably. I don't know any of  _them_ , though. I wonder what he's like," he pondered aloud. Then, he began to consider something as his train of thought wandered. He finished up in the bathroom, poking his head out the door. Gladion was totally oblivious to it, however, "Say...do you think you're ever gonna take the trials one day, alola?" The question had Gladion silent for a bit longer this time. He definitely hadn't considered such a thing before. He pouted a bit as he sweat a little in trying to formulate a quick answer.  
  
"W-Well...I haven't really thought about it before," he admitted. Hau smirked, slowly creeping closer to Gladion once he noticed he hadn't seen him yet. "Maybe you  _should_ think about it~" he insisted. Gladion was still too wrapped up in his task to noticed Hau's ever-approaching voice. He frowned sheepishly, "I-I dunno. I don't think I'd be as good at it as you and Moon are." Hau was just inches away from him now. Now was his chance. "You won't be saying that after I unleash my secret weapon~" Hau teased.  
  
Gladion smirked bemusingly, "Oh yeah, and what's that?" Suddenly, he was entangled in the younger boy's arms as he stumbled back a bit. "Hug attack~!" Hau cried as he snickered playfully. Gladion chuckled, wrapping his arms around Hau to try to balance himself, "Careful! You're gonna break something~!" His laughter was silenced with an innocent kiss on his lips. His eyes fluttered shut as he pulled Hau closer. Once Hau pulled away, however, he began planting more kisses on the rest of Gladion's face.  
  
Gladion giggled at the pleasant attention, "Q-Quit it~!" He tripped as he continued moving back, pulling them both down onto the bed by accident. His hands slipped off of Hau and landed on either side of his head on the bed. Hau was still giggling as well, finally ceasing his onslaught of kisses once they landed on the soft sheets. He stared down at the older boy for a moment, before capturing his lips in another kiss. His fingers curled as he instantly relaxed into it. He had become much more used to it by now.  
  
Slowly, however, the kiss became a bit less chaste. He twitched slightly as Hau gently bit his lower lip. He wasn't sure what Hau was doing, but he didn't move. Hau was probably just playing, right? The older boy felt a chill run up his spine as Hau bit down a bit harder. Strangely, rather than feeling a painful sensation, he felt a pleasurable one. Hau noticed his reaction, and his mind seemed to cloud with a strange new feeling. He moved his hands, pinning Gladion down to the bed by his wrists.  
  
He stopped biting onto Gladion's lip, instead kissing him again. However, this time, Gladion felt something wet tracing his mouth. He twitched again, still enjoying the strange feeling of it. Hesitantly, he opened his mouth. He moaned as the same wetness began intruding the rest of his mouth. Eventually, he was able to figure out it was actually Hau's tongue. Once it brushed against his, he moved his own tongue along with it. Of course, he had no clue what he was doing, but his head was swimming to much to care.  
  
Unconsciously, he began trying to pull his wrists free. Hau obliged him, and took his hands off to instead cup them over the blonde's cheeks. The older boy brought his arms up, wrapping them around Hau's neck as he gripped at his hair. Eventually, Hau pulled away, much to Gladion's displeasure. He let a quiet whine escape him before he began panting for air. He didn't notice that Hau's eyes had glazed over. He seemed to be on a completely different planet at this point.  
  
Gladion shivered again as Hau began kissing his throat. His face was completely red now. "H...Hau..." he whined. His mind wasn't completely processing what was happening, still stuck on the strange new kiss he had just experienced. However, he completely snapped out of it when he felt his hoodie being lifted up. He pulled his arms off of Hau immediately, pushing him up and off of him as he gasped. "S-Stop!" he cried. The request instantly broke Hau out of his own trance as well.  
  
His face went almost as red as Gladion's as he finally realized what he had been doing. His face contorted with shame as he immediately began apologizing frantically. "I...I'm so sorry! I-I don't know what came over me! I didn't mean to...!" he trailed off as he noticed Gladion has his hand over his mouth and was shaking. He felt truly horrible. He couldn't muster anymore words as tears pricked at his eyes and he looked away. What was he thinking? He couldn't just take advantage of Gladion like that!  
  
A small part of him tried to justify it.  _H-He looked like he was enjoying it...I-I thought-_ he stopped himself. He shook his head. He felt sick just thinking about it. Gladion himself was frantic with his own thoughts. He didn't know what to do. He was horrified. He knew Hau would never hurt him, and it's not like he didn't like the contact. But still, he didn't know if he should let it continue. It didn't feel entirely right. At least, not at the moment. He glanced at Hau, finally noticing how distressed he was.  
  
He was biting his lower lip to keep his tears from falling. He darted forward, grabbing one of Hau's hands to offer him comfort. "H-Hey..." he called. The younger boy snapped his head to look at him so fast he almost got whiplash. "I-I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me! I didn't wanna hur-" he was cut off as Gladion reached up his other hand to wipe away his tears. "Shhh, it's alright Hau. I...I wasn't hurt. I'm just...scared, is all," he reassured. Hau stared at him quietly, blinking slowly as he processed this.  
  
"...I...I don't know what all that was, but I didn't hate it. I just think maybe we shouldn't take it too far. Not yet..."  
  
"Y...Yeah..."  
  
Gladion smiled, "Don't worry. I'm not mad at you. If it means anything...the way you kissed me felt really nice." Hau's eyes glimmered as he continued to stare at Gladion. The older boy planted a gentle kiss on his head for the second time that day, "We should get some rest...you've had a long day." Hau nodded, grinning widely as he looked up at his partner again, "Tomorrow we can ride the Mantine together again! It'll be fun!" Gladion chuckled, "Sure. Maybe I'll even let you take the wheel this time."  
  
Hau stared at Gladion with a flattered look at the suggestion, before nuzzling his face into his hoodie. Gladion's eyes lit up as his smile faded. A bit of guilt from rejecting him mere moments ago washed over him. He gently pet Hau's head, pulling him into a comforting embrace that Hau gladly returned. He could feel Hau start to slump in his grip. His eyes narrowed as he rubbed Hau's back soothingly. He began to hum the same song he had lulled Zorua with earlier that day to Hau as he fell asleep in his arms. Then, he too, fell into a deep slumber beside his partner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Slinky and Chunk are back! What's that? What do you mean nobody remembers them? ;w;
> 
> Lol jk jk, seriously though I gotchu you pervs >w>  
> They chilluns, this is as lewd as it's gettin', I got standards -w- (Haha I totally don't tho ;w;)
> 
> Woah nearly 2000 reads?! Pinch me I must be dreaming ~♥♥♥


	43. Chapter 42 - Don't Kiss Me Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys prepare to head out for Ula'Ula when they get a sudden call from Moon. Meanwhile, Lillie and Strelitzia continue their training when something unexpected happens.

The boys were up bright and early, careful not to oversleep even slightly this time. Of course, they did waste a minute or 2 cuddling and whispering sickeningly sweet things to each other. But they were sure it wouldn't be that big of a deal. Hau had to once again help Gladion brush out his messy bangs after getting changed. Their pokémon took a bit longer to wake themselves up, having stayed up a little too late watching cartoons and playing around.   
  
However, most of the younger ones were shuffled into an orderly fashion by Null. Zoroark and Lycanroc both contributed in tidying up the room for their departure, Lycanroc even locating the room key and handing it over to Gladion. He pat Lycanroc's head, "Thanks, buddy. You wanna go for a walk today?" Lycanroc nodded, but this made Zoroark pout as it changed it's form to that of a tiny Rockruff staring up at him with pleading eyes. Gladion pouted at Zoroark for this.  
  
"Don't beg. Besides, you had your fair share of time outside  _yesterday_. You can come back out when I need you," he said sternly. Zoroark returned to it's initial form with a defeated groan. The older boy began recollecting his pokémon into their balls, leaving only his Lycanroc out as he stored them back into his bag. Hau came back out of the bathroom after a few minutes, turning to look at Gladion, "You might wanna leave him inside until we get to Ula'Ula, actually. We're gonna take a Charizard to Konikoni."  
  
Gladion groaned, "But I don't wannaaa...!" Hau giggled, walking up to Gladion and wrapping his arms around his neck. "Don't whine. Besides, it's faster that way. You'll still have me with you while we're riding. We haven't fallen to our deaths yet, haaave weee~?" he reassured, sticking his tongue out teasingly after the rhetorical question. Gladion rolled his eyes, pulling Hau slightly closer as he pressed his head against Hau's to gaze into his eyes. "You're lucky you're cute..." he muttered.  
  
"I know~" Hau teased again, before planting a quick kiss on Gladion's lips. Gladion didn't take his eyes off of Hau for a single moment, even after they pulled off of each other save for their intertwined fingers. The older boy rolled his eyes, "You heard 'im, Lycanroc. In you go. You can go for a walk later." Lycanroc returned to it's ball obediently, while Hau called back his own pokémon. After they made sure they had gotten all their things, they stepped outside.  
  
After a brief stop at the front desk, Gladion returned outside to find their Charizard ride had already arrived. He took a deep breath, before putting on the necessary gear and boarding it's saddle with Hau in front of him. Thankfully, their journey didn't take very long and they landed right in front of Olivia's shop. Even after the Charizard already departed, Gladion was hugging Hau's arm with a pout. Hau giggled, sweating a bit as he felt a little guilty for making Gladion endure the trip.  
  
They stepped inside, noticing upon entering that Olivia was behind the front desk with another girl who was in uniform. She looked up as soon as they entered, grinning widely and heading around the counter to greet them. "Ah, hello boys! Good to see you again!" she said. She noticed Gladion's nervous demeanor. "Are you alright?" she asked. He snapped out of his nervous state a bit, "O-Oh. It's nothing." Hau decided to take the lead of the conversation to save Gladion the trouble.  
  
"Were you able to make a ring?" he asked. Olivia nodded, pulling a brand new Z-Ring out of her pocket and holding it out to them. "Here it is!" she declared. Gladion gently took it, examining it carefully. They both noticed right away that it did in fact look vastly different to Hau's Z-Ring. It was black, and the slot for the crystals had a different shape to it. Gladion slipped it over his left wrist, taking out the Z-Crystal Hau had given him and putting it in the slot.  
  
"It fits perfectly..." he muttered. Olivia raised a brow at the crystal he had put in the slot. "I've never seen a Z-Crystal with  _that_ shape before...I wonder if Tapu Lele specially made it just for you," she pondered aloud. Hau beamed excitedly, "Now you can use it!" Gladion pouted slightly, "Well...if I can even figure out  _how_." Olivia smiled again, "It's not all that hard, sweetie. You'll figure it out eventually." He looked up at her again, offering her a grateful smile, "Thank you so much, Kahuna Olivia."  
  
She waved him off, cupping her cheek in her hand again, "Oh, don't even mention it! It's the least I can do. After all, Tapu Lele was the one who bestowed it upon you. She must think you're something  _real_ special." He nodded, running his fingers along the ring again as he stared down at it. He clenched his hand into a fist as he nodded. "Then I'll put it to good use," he declared. Hau grabbed his right hand, waving to Olivia cheerfully as they began shuffling towards the front door.  
  
"Thanks again, Olivia! Say hi to tutu for me!"  
  
"Sure thing, Hau! Farewell!"  
  
Once they exited the store, Hau noticed Gladion was still staring at his Z-Ring. He blinked at him, "You ok?" Gladion snapped out of his trance, looking to his partner instantly. "Sorry. Guess it's just hard to believe. I wonder how Tapu Lele knew about my Z-Crystal..." he muttered. Hau looked up at seemingly nothing as he pondered this as well. "Hmmm...donno. Guess they're just omniscient or something," he guessed. He reached into his backpack, pulling out the ride pager again when suddenly a loud tune came from Gladion's bag.  
  
They both snapped their heads to look at it in curiosity. Gladion blinked, before reaching into his bag and pulling out the tablet Burnet had given him. It was vibrating and ringing with a call that displayed the source on the screen. "It's...Moon," Gladion said, before tapping the "Accept Call" button. Immediately, it pulled up a face cam of Moon who looked disturbed. From the way the camera was wobbling slightly, they could tell it was indeed coming from Rotom's feed.  
  
"Oh, thank Arceus! You picked up!" she sputtered. She looked to be in a panic. Hau hugged Gladion's arm as he peeked over to get a look at Moon. He blinked blankly, "What's going on, Moon?" Gladion sweat a bit. He didn't like how things looked right now. He noticed quickly that she was clearly inside the Ferry Station as he scanned the background behind her. "You guys won't believe it!" she cried. Hau sneered nervously as he raised a brow at her and Gladion only became more nervous as he braced himself.  
  
"The Aether Foundation pulled back from  _all_ the Ferry Stations in Alola!"  
  
Their eyes widened and their jaws nearly dropped completely. Gladion's face paled as he tried his best to process this statement. Both boys couldn't help but yelp in unison. "What?!" they shouted. Moon nodded, "Yeah! The people at the front desk told me they said they're done with their 'research'. They all bolted last night!" Both boys were left completely flabbergasted as their minds went wild with a slew of thoughts and theories. In the end, neither of them came up with a satisfying explanation.  
  
They exchanged doe-eyed glances of uncertainty and horror, silently agreeing on a single prospect;  
  
_We have to investigate this!_  


* * *

  
Moon paced nervously as Rotom watched her alongside her Brionne with ever-growing anxiousness. Then, the automatic doors swung open. In the doorway stood Gladion and Hau, both keeping a tight grip on each other's hands. Gladion's other hand was gripping the strap of his satchel bag nervously. They both looked incredibly reluctant to enter, and already regretful that they even approached the building in the first place. She noticed them instantly, "There you are!"  
  
She ran up to them, putting her hands up to ease their nerves, "You can relax. I swear, there's not one of 'em for  _miles_ around here." Hau was the first to state the obvious concern, "I-I don't get it! Why would they pull back suddenly?" Moon had no answer for this. She sweat a bit, putting a hand over her chest nervously. "I donno...but this is  _great_ news! Now you boys don't have to take that wonky Mantine service anymore," she said. Gladion's eyes wandered to the ferry times above the front desk.  
  
His heart sank into his stomach as he read a certain time stamp and location. He let loose on Hau's hand, walking past Moon and stopping himself after a couple steps. Over and over his eyes scanned the same time and place. A ferry that left the region just 10 minutes from now. It took Moon and Hau both a moment to realize what had him so entranced. And as soon as they did, they too, began to feel a bit sick. Hau's eyes widened with shock as he felt utter devastation.  
  
"...You...you're free now, Hanini..." he whispered. Those words. Those words he had longed to hear for so long now. And yet...for some reason, Gladion  _hated_ those words. He was  _sickened_ by them. Why? Why did it sound so horrible? Hau wasn't able to see him wince at these words, nor that he flinched. His light gasp escaped both of them. Hau looked down with a dejectedly look, rubbing his arm nervously. Moon blinked a couple times, before it sank in completely. She looked down as well.  
  
"O... _Oh_..." she muttered, "...Right."  
  
Moon began to feel sorry she had even called them in the first place. How could she have forgotten so easily? That was the whole point of them not being able to leave Melemele in the  _first_ place! She distracted herself by asking the questions Hau clearly still had in his head as well. Like why Lusamine pulled back so suddenly, as he had asked. Was she toying with him? Perhaps she had given up. Perhaps she had found something else to suit her needs, and no longer had a need for his Type:Null.  
  
Gladion was left frozen with his thoughts. He contemplated his mother's decision as well. He panicked. Did she have Lillie? Was that why she lost interest in him? Did she somehow find a way to make  _more_ Type:Fulls? Or did she somehow figure out how to capture the Ultra Beasts without the Nulls or the Fulls altogether? But wasn't she still cross with  _him_? She herself told him that he would face judgement when he left. Were those just empty threats? Did she care about him  _that_ little?  
  
Hau was the most distraught. He knew that this was the one thing Gladion had wanted since he had first woken up. The one thing he pined for. But was that still the case? He said he was ok with staying with him, after all. He  _begged_ Hau to not abandon him. He felt the same way Hau did. He  _liked_ him. He felt haunted by his mistakes up to this point. To the night before. Had Hau driven him away? Maybe he just returned Hau's feelings out of obligation. Out of pity. He couldn't stand that if that were the case.  
  
Hau took a deep breath, as he made the hardest decision of his life. He loved Gladion more than anything. And he had promised to protect him, no matter what. That meant giving Gladion the freedom he so desperately wanted, even if it came at the cost of losing him. What he wanted wasn't important. How could he even  _think_ to be so selfish? Gladion was a prisoner on these islands. That fact would certainly never change the way things were going. He looked up hesitantly, biting his lip as he struggled to speak up. Somehow, he managed.  
  
"If...if you wanna leave now, I won't stop you."  
  
The statement shocked Moon and Gladion both. Unlike Gladion, Hau could actually see Moon's shock as she gasped. She would've objected to this, but he continued before she had the chance. "I know it probably still isn't safe to stay here even  _if_ she's pulled back. A-And you might not get another chance like this again. If you think it's better for you and Null to go, th-then I..." he trailed off as he bit his lip again. He was forcing himself to swallow his tears. And unknown to him, Gladion was struggling to do the same.  
  
He broke out of his frozen state, slowly reaching into his bag and pulling out his Luxury Ball. He stared down at it with wide and uncertain eyes. His grip on it was tight, but not enough to break it. He hung his head slightly as he began to shake. Memories played back in his head again like a movie, only this time, they were all centered around the time he had spent with Hau. His heart ached at the mere thought of leaving his side now. And yet...Hau was right. He would not get another chance to do this.  
  
But was it worth it? Null would be safer if they left now.  _He_ would be safer. In turn, Hau would also probably be much much safer as well. With Gladion out of the region entirely and far from him, his mother had no chance of ever finding out his involvement. And yet, still...that mindset was fainter than it had ever been. Moon couldn't take the agonizing silence anymore. She stepped towards Gladion, reaching a hand out to him to object to him, stop him from moving, anything.  
  
"Ha-"  
  
" _No_..."  
  
He put his pokéball away, as she stepped back and raised a brow at him. "H-Huh?" she mumbled. He had stopped shaking. He approached the front desk, and Hau winced as he still struggled not to burst into tears. To not stop Gladion himself. However, Moon was listening in closely as he began talking to the receptionist. Even Rotom was paying close attention, taken aback by the entire situation. The receptionist beamed at Gladion as he approached, oblivious to the kids entirely up to this point.  
  
"Excuse me..."  
  
"Alola! Are you here to buy a ticket today?"  
  
"... _2_ , actually. For...Ula'Ula Island."  
  
Even through all the ringing in Hau's ears, he heard this loud and clear. His head peered up, shock crossing his face at the same time as Moon's. Rotom was also taken aback as he beeped in surprise. The receptionist nodded, "Sure thing, sonny!" She reached under the counter, taking off 2 tickets for the next ferry to Ula'Ula and placing them on the counter. "That'll be 10 Pokéuros, please," she said. He reached into his bag again, pulling out the money she requested and exchanging it for the tickets.  
  
"You have yourself a lovely trip now, you hear?"  
  
He nodded, putting the tickets into his bag before turning around and returning to Hau and Moon. Moon was utterly speechless, and Rotom continued beeping in frantic confusion. Hau stared at Gladion in utter confusion as his shock began to melt. "I...I don't get it. I thought you wanted to get out of here as soon as possible...!" he stammered. Gladion narrowed his eyes at him. It hurt him deeply to see Hau like this. He shook his head, still holding back his own tears.  
  
"I'm  _done_ running. If I live the rest of my life in fear of her, all I'm doing is proving her right about me. Proving  _Lillie_ right about me. And..."  
  
He hesitated, and they both noticed. His eyes suddenly shut tightly just before he pulled Hau into a tight hug. He was choking through his words as he still refused to let himself cry. "I don't wanna lose you, too...!" he choked. Hau couldn't hold it back anymore. Tears came to his eyes as he was still with shock. He was quiet for a long moment before he clutched to Gladion, biting his lip to keep his tears from falling. "Gladion..." he whispered. He was so overcome with emotion he didn't even notice his slip-up.  
  
"I really care about you, Hau. I want to stay with you, no matter what. You're... _everything_ , to me. I'm not ready to say goodbye to you yet. Not when I've just realized how much you mean to me. I want you to protect me like you've always done...I don't  _care_ about Lusamine. I care about  _you_."  
  
Hau blushed, completely touched and inflamed by the confession. He sniffled, mustering a weak smile as he gave up trying to hold back his tears. "Y-You don't h-have to do all this j-just for me, you know..." he choked. Hearing him sob like this only made the blonde hold onto him even tighter. "I know...I  _want_ to. I don't wanna be afraid anymore. And I know I won't be so long as I'm here with you," he whispered. Hau reached his hands up to touch Gladion's face, prompting the blonde to pull back a little to look at him.  
  
Hau stared up at him, his tears drying up now as he gazed at the older boy with a loving look. "Then...I promise, I'll do my best to make sure you feel safe here," he said. Gladion's eyes glazed over. It was becoming increasingly difficult to hold back. "Hau..." he whispered. He couldn't stop himself as he leaned in and captured Hau's lips in another kiss. And Hau gladly allowed him, his eyes fluttering shut as he wrapped his arms around Gladion's neck. Moon's face went red as she shielded Rotom's face with her hand.  
  
"H-Hey! Zzt!" he whined with a slight pout. After a minute, they pulled away from each other and went back to staring into each other's eyes. Hau's glimmered with stars as he slowly smiled up at his boyfriend. The blonde smiled back shyly, "Let's...go. Shall we?" Hau nodded, still about out of breath from their kiss, "Y-Yeah." Moon waited a moment, before clearing her throat to gain their attention. Their faces went red with embarrassment as they looked down shamefully. However, they didn't pull off each other.  
  
She pouted, putting a clenched hand on her hip, "You two had better not leave me in the lounge of the ship, you know." They blinked at her curiously. Then, Hau's eyes lit up, "O-Oh! Right! You're taking the same ferry, huh?" Moon nodded, crossing her arms before she gave them both a friendly smile. "I imagine we'll wanna talk game plan for here on out. Lusamine is  _totally_ up to something," she said. Gladion nodded, finally pulling off of Hau save for one of his hands.  
  
"Mm. There's no doubt in my mind. But regardless...I think she  _wants_ me to get scared and avoid this place."  
  
"What makes you say that, Hanini?"  
  
"Call it a hunch...she's become pretty predictable the past couple of years."  
  
Moon turned her head to the boarding area as the sign lit up to signal the passengers to get on the ferry. She raised her hand up, waving it to get the boys's attention. "Hey, c'mon. Our ferry's boarding. We'll talk semantics on the boat," she said. Gladion squeezed Hau's hand nervously, before pulling him along to follow Moon onto the ferry. There was definitely something not right here, but there was no point in going back to his old fundamentals now. For once, he believed he could handle anything his mother used to toy with him.  
  
Well... _almost_ anything.  
  
The ferry was surprisingly cozy, and the boys were surprised to find there was actually quite a bit to do. There were a few shops, restaurants, areas on the deck for battling, and even a small Pokémon Center. Of course, they didn't do too much, the ride not lasting much more than a couple of hours anyways. Regardless, they gladly let their pokémon out to stretch their legs and explore. After all, there was plenty of room to walk around here. It wasn't long before the ferry began moving.  
  
They watched the docks fade away through the windows together. Then, Moon turned to the boys. Her eyes lit up suddenly, "Oh. Shoot! I forgot, I gotta feed my pokémon some breakfast! I-I'll catch up with you guys in a bit!" She turned and ran off, leaving the pair alone yet again. The only one of their pokémon that was still in their vicinity was Gladion's Zoroark, who sat beside him as it watched the waves through the glass pane. It noticed Moon's Brionne popping in and out of the waters, and tilted it's head like a curious puppy.  
  
Without warning, Hau grabbed onto to Gladion's hand as he continued looking outside. "Hey, Hanini?" he called, prompting the older boy to look at him curiously. Hau didn't speak up again for a moment. He bit his lip again for a moment. Gladion was worried he might still be upset, and was about to say something when Hau finally said something. "I wasn't ready to say goodbye to you either..." he muttered. He had a sad look in his eyes, yet it also seemed relieved.  
  
Gladion smile sweetly at him. He gently pressed his head against Hau's as he squeezed his hand again. "It's ok, I'm here.  _We're_ here...and I don't plan on going  _anywhere_." To Hau, these words meant so much more than simply a promise to not leave his side. These words meant the entire world to him, almost quite literally. He smiled back as he gazed into Gladion's irresistible emerald eyes, "Good." They both leaned in for another kiss, running their fingers through each other's hair as they passionately embraced each other.  
  
Once they pulled away again, they were back to gazing at each other as they whispered softly to each other.  
  
"Always, ko'u alola?"  
  
"Always, mon cher..."  


* * *

  
Yet another trainer ran away in utter terror as they dropped money from their bag. Lillie approached the spilled contents, bending down to pick it up and count it. She snickered, "This is so easy it's laughable." Streltizia was close behind, her mask once again covering her face to conceal her identity. She beamed up at Lillie, "Wow, Big Sis! You're so cool! You don't even hide your face! I wish I was brave like that, but Guzma says it's better we don't let people recognize us."  
  
Lillie pat her head, "That's true for you, little sis. But I'm the Skull Princess. My name and face is  _meant_ to be basked in." Strelitzia nodded in agreement. "Sure is! I want the whole world to see how cool you are!" she cheered. Her Happiny hopped up and down excitedly beside her. "Happiny! Happiny! Hap! Hap!" it chittered. Lillie turned around, heading back up the street towards Po Town. "I think that's enough exercise for today. C'mon, let's go home and get some food. I'm  _starving_ ," Lillie ordered.  
  
Strelitzia nodded, following close to her idol as she walked beside her. She beamed brightly, "I'm glad the boss was kind enough to let me come out here with you. It's so nice to finally stretch my legs!" Lillie giggled, "What? You been restless sitting in your room all day?" Strelitzia nodded, pouting under her mask. "I just reeeaaalllyyy wanna stick it to those jerks!" she whined. Lillie sneered with a dirty look, "Are those punks bullying you still? Gimme names, I'll throw down with 'em!"  
  
Strelitzia shook her head, "Nah, it's ok Big Sis. I wanna do it myself. Just like you did! That's how you  _really_ get them to pay attention to you." Lillie smiled again, patting Strelitzia on the head once more. "That's the spirit, Zi. Just like I taught ya," she praised. Suddenly the wind began to pick up, which sent a chill up both their spines. Strelitzia shivered, rubbing her shoulders as her eye twitched. "G-Geez...I thought it was supposed to be warm today," she whined.  
  
Suddenly, Strelitzia was knocked onto the ground as Lillie put her arm up to defend herself when something swooped down at them. As soon as it came, it had left. They both looked up, Lillie immediately checking on Strelitzia for injury. "Zi, are you alright?!" she yelled. Strelitzia nodded, a tear pricked in one of her eyes, "I-I'm fine. That just kinda hurt. What  _was_ that?" The sound of Happiny's distressed crying broke their conversation. Strelitzia turned and realized Happiny was no longer beside her.  
  
Lillie looked around as Strelitzia got off her feet and began calling for her pokémon. Lillie looked up, and she gasped as she reached her hand out to tap Strelitzia's shoulder. "Z-Zi?" she called. Strelitzia turned around, looking where Lillie's eyes were. She gasped in horror at the sight she beheld. In the elongated and merciless beak of a Fearow, Happiny was caught by it's foot, screaming and crying in terror. Strelitzia immediately took out it's pokéball, attempting to call it back. But it didn't work.  
  
"Shit! She's too far away!" Strelitzia cried with tears in her eyes. Lillie scowled, stepping forward towards the circling bird. She pointed it at, "Herdier, use Roar!" Herdier nodded, making a loud and intimidating howl that startled the Fearow, causing it to drop the Happiny. Strelitzia darted forward, catching her Happiny safely in her arms. She immediately began cooing and whispering to it, trying to soothe it and stop it from crying. But Lillie wasn't done just yet.   
  
The Fearow became agitated, cawing at the girls angrily. Strelitzia backed away from it as Lillie held an arm out to keep the hostile pokémon away from her. The Fearow swooped down again, it's beak glowing as it aimed for the Herdier. Lillie scoffed, "So, you wanna drag this out? Fine then. Herdier, Take Down!" Herdier rushed at the Fearow as it came down at it at full speed. Then, dodging it's beak as it slammed into it with full force. Of course, it had a drawback as it's eye twitched with pain on impact.  
  
The Fearow squawked in pain, retreating back into the air as it shook it's head. It squawked again, this time in more rage. Herdier just barked back at it, challenging it to attack again. The Fearow brought it's wings together, before snapping them apart as it released a shockwave in the Herdier's direction. "Herdier! Dodge it, then use Take Down again!" Lillie commanded. Herdier managed to dodge the first wave, but was knocked back by the second. Still, it wasn't deterred from carrying out it's order.  
  
Once again, it jumped up and slammed into the Fearow, the impact damaging it again in the process. It landed safely on the ground, panting tiredly. The Fearow fell to the ground, bruised and ruffled from the attack as it's movement became much slower. Then, it stood back up, tiredly flapping it's wings to propel itself back into the air. But it glided low, almost as if unable to pull itself up much higher than that. Lillie smirked, "Gotcha. Herdier, Crunch it!" Herdier lunged at the Fearow, sinking it's teeth deep into it.  
  
The Fearow cried out in pain, flailing wildly to fling the canine off. Eventually, it succeeded, and Herdier landed safely on the ground once again. Strelitzia beamed from under her face mask, "Yeah, kick it's ass, Big Sis!" The Fearow began ruffling it's tail feathers, kicking up a turbulent backwind that made it's movements a bit faster than they were before. But it was futile, as Lillie commanded her Herdier to attack yet again. "Take Down, again!" she bellowed.  
  
The Herdier began darting for the Fearow, however, it began to glow brightly with a white light. Both Lillie and Strelitzia were caught wide-eyed as they gasped. Herdier grew large in size, it's form shifting only slightly as it's back fur overgrew and long hairs stretched off it's face. Eventually, it stopped glowing to reveal it's new form. It's paws were just barely visible under the black veil of it's back fur now. It's stache like facial fur now stretched down to it's feet and dragged like a long dress on the ground beside it.  
  
It's ears were more thinned out, and it had a menacing glare in it's eyes. The Fearow squawked in shock and fear as it was slammed into by the large pokémon's full weight. It was knocked out of the air as it was pinned down by the canine, and instantly was knocked out by the blow. The canine pokémon barked a low, bellowing bark in victory. The girls rushed over to them, Strelitzia still careful to keep her distance from the Fearow. "What a beaut! It evolved into a Stoutland!" she cried.  
  
Lillie reached out to Stoutland, petting it and scratching behind it's ears. She felt a faint sense of pride. After all, she had known it since it was just a tiny Lillipup. Now it was a powerful and daunting force to be reckoned with. She smirked, "Good work, Stoutland." She pulled some healing sprays out of her bag, spraying away all the injuries it was inflicted with, most of them the impacts of it's own attacks. Happiny had long since calmed down, and was happily thanking the Stoutland for it's help.  
  
"With that new nose of his, I bet you can find that Moon Stone you need much easier now!" she declared. Lillie blinked.  _I guess she's right...it **would** be easier now that Stoutland is fully evolved _she thought. She turned to look at Strelitzia after she finished healing up her newly-evolved Stoutland. "Say...what's say we hitch a ride back to Po Town instead of walking all the way there?" she suggested. Strelitzia grinned under her mask as her eyes sparkled with stars, "Oh my gosh!  _Totally_!"  
  
The girls boarded onto Stoutland's back as it stepped off the unconscious bird pokémon. Just before it began for Po Town however, it sniffed at the Fearow until it picked up something in it's mouth. Lillie took it, observing it carefully. It appeared to be a small rock-like object in the shape of a beak. She put it in her dufflebag, tapping the Stoutland's thigh with her foot to get it moving. As the girls continued on their path home, they began excitedly chatting away, eager for the next results of their training.  


* * *

  
As Guzma entered the dim police station, he was cautious. He had been here many times before. These days, he just didn't really need to see his hesitant resident very much. Usually, it was Plumeria that collected the pay. They had always had a complicated relationship. And Guzma frankly thought Nanu was a total nutcase when he first came to him with an offer to pay them rent. Even though most of their turf was in Po Town, they pretty much conquered the entire street upwards anyways.  
  
This section of the island in almost all it's entirety was theirs to play with. Anybody who came near it was surely a fool. But Nanu seemed changed by his position as a Kahuna. Sometimes Guzma wondered how a man so lazy was ever a member of the police force. But he never thought too much about it. Nanu was the only Kahuna he still had any respect for strangely enough. It seemed he didn't even take his own job all that seriously. Most often, he would avoid doing his Grand Trials at all costs.  
  
Sometimes Guzma wondered if that was because he too, was indifferent to the position. Even now, he had his work cut out for him more than the other Kahunas. He was often responsible for holding trials on Poni as well, as Tapu Fini had still not yet chosen a new Kahuna to replace the one they had lost. Sometimes Guzma was amazed the man was as sane as he was. He knew he'd most certainly lose his mind if he had to do twice the work like that.  
  
Like usual, the station was littered with blue Meowths that all stared at him with attracted eyes. A few of them nuzzled at his ankles, much to his annoyance as he huffed. "Nanu! Are you here? I need to talk to ya!" he snapped. There was no answer. Typical. He had forgotten how often Nanu had to be out of the station, even if he himself wasn't too keen on it either. He rubbed the back of his head as he groaned. "Dammit...where the fuck is he?" he muttered.  
  
"Quit your whining, you manchild. I'm right here."  
  
Guzma turned around to see Nanu in the doorway, one of his fingers in his ear as he gave Guzma a dirty look. As he always did, he looked like he barely got a moment's rest. Despite being the biggest sloth this side of Alola. His Meowths all mewed loudly and began dog piling each other to greet their master. Guzma cringed at the weird spectacle as Nanu boredly tended to each and every Meowth that demanded attention. "Calm down, I wasn't gone  _that_ long..." he muttered.  
  
"For fuck's sake, Nanu! I've been lookin' for ya since yesterday!"  
  
"Whatever it is, it's definitely not important. I paid my rent this month."  
  
"No, that's not what I want. I...I need some legal advice."  
  
Nanu raised a brow at him before standing back up. He shoved his hands in his pant pockets. "You?  _You_ want  _legal_ advice? You just now growing some kind of conscience, Guzma? The only legal advice I can give you is turn yourself in," he spat sarcastically. Guzma glared at him harshly. "Look, just, fuckin' humor me here, alright? Then I'll leave ya alone for the rest of the month," Guzma said. he knew it was an offer Nanu definitely wouldn't refuse. And he was correct as Nanu sat on one of the couches by the door.  
  
"...Alright then. What's got you suddenly worryin' about consequences?" he asked. Guzma rolled his eyes, sitting on a different couch across from him. He flinched away from the Meowths that attempted to touch him or garner some attention from him. These things always creeped him out. He sighed, "So,  _hypothetically_..." Nanu raised a brow at this, "You're asking me for advice based on hypothetical? Are you drunk again?" Guzma shook his head, "What?! No! Just hear me out, will ya?"  
  
Nanu threw his hands up in surrender, "Fine, fine. Go ahead. What's hypothetical?" Guzma sweat a bit. He did trust Nanu with this heavy situation. It was Lusamine's wrath that he was fearful of. Of making the wrong choice. Was it his attachment to Lillie that drove him to swallow his pride and ask Nanu for advice like this? He knew he was definitely concerned for her. He cared about her, as he cared about all the children in his care. After all, they were all products of bad parenting.  
  
"So...say I knew somebody in a position of power that was abusin' their kid. And...say I worked for this person. Their kid runs away and they ask me to help look for 'em cause they stole somethin' real important. Somethin' expensive. A...family heirloom or somethin'."  
  
"Uh huh...?"  
  
"And I find out that my boss don't care about the kid, just that thing they stole. And they're totally fine with me hurting the kid just to get it. Even if I protest that, my boss blackmails me with threats I can't take a gamble on. If I know where that kid is, what is it I should do?"  
  
Nanu furrowed a brow at the admittedly specific and curious hypothetical Guzma had just proposed. There were quite a lot of angles to it, many of them complicated and messy. Especially Guzma's criminal record. "Hmmm. This hypothetical of yours only involves  _one_ child?" he asked. Guzma shook his head, "Well, actually...there's also another kid. They run to me for help. And...I kept it a secret from my boss." Nanu rolled his eyes around for a moment as he processed this extra bit of information.  
  
"Do you have any evidence, in this hypothetical?"  
  
"Only the witness account of the kid I took in."  
  
"And you say you've observed first-hand that your boss is relentless, and willing to punish their other child?"  
  
"Yeah. Them and anybody who helps them. That includes me, obviously."  
  
"And do either of these children  _know_ you're working for the person that abused them? That you're helping them look for them?"  
  
"...Just...the one that stole the heirloom."  
  
Nanu entangled his fingers together as he leaned forward. Even he knew this circumstance was too specific not to have derived from  _some_ real and dangerous situation Guzma trapped himself in. He knew Guzma was privy to taking in troubled or abused kids. And he had respect for him for this. Sure, he was a flawed, childish, and fundamentally dangerous man. But he had a good heart. Good intentions in quite a few things. It was a shaky moral compass, but one Nanu decided shook in the correct directions.  
  
Taking that into account, he knew he too also had a responsibility to protect these children from harm. That was the most important reason he agreed to not tell anyone where these goons were stowed away. After all, was it really a justice to return children to a home they despised? To parents who mistreated them? Even if Guzma was a bad influence, they were certainly much better off in Po Town than with their original legal guardians. He had seen the conditions of some of these kids that came here.  
  
Broken limbs, black eyes, scars, and even more subtle damage, displayed by those who came to Guzma in tears. Being a long time officer, Nanu could recognize crocodile tears and liars. And no kid exaggerated or played up a single one of their stories. He had only ever talked to a few of them, including the youngest of the group, Strelitzia. But a few was enough to convince him that he had no obligation to rat them out. Besides, he wasn't an officer anymore anyways. He was just a guy.  
  
Guzma was clearly distraught by this entire conversation.  _Something_ was making him tick. And in a way Nanu had never really observed before. Sure, Guzma was twitchy and irritable, but never like this. Something was clawing at his brain. He was being forced to question everything he had built up to this point. Nanu nearly smirked in amusement.  _The haughty king, now a crippled mess over a couple of kids...never thought I'd see the day_ he thought.  
  
"In that case, Guzma...your best and only option is to keep the kid you've got with you hidden. And as for the other one, you find them and bring them in. And you don't tell your boss a peep of it. Taking your criminal record into account...you'll need to gather as much evidence as you can of their neglect, and you can put them away since they're so much of a pain in your ass."  
  
"And what would I tell my boss in the meantime? H-Hypothetically speaking if they were a little... _impatient_?"  
  
"Well, I'm sure ignoring them will just agitate things further. Try deflecting, you do that very well, don't you?"  
  
"I...guess..."  
  
Nanu raised a brow at him, before petting one his Meowths as it purred. "Anythin' else you wanted to know?" he asked. Guzma shook his head before standing back up. "No...thanks for the advice, Nanu," he said, before turning and heading towards the door. Nanu finally allowed himself to smirk as he scoffed in amusement. "Since when do you thank me for anything?" he asked. Guzma stopped. He blinked blankly. Had he really just done that? He shook his head. It wasn't important right now.  
  
Nanu watched as Guzma left without another word, before standing up and heading over to his desk to dial a number. He glanced down at a cut out printed article on his desk he had printed out not too long ago. He wasn't normally one for conspiracy theories, but sometimes they entertained him. However, this one in particular was smelling of the same trouble that Guzma's "Hypothetical" had. It was a long shot, but perhaps he could find a way to assist in this mess if it was what he thought it was.  
  
"...Hey. Hala? It's Nanu. I gotta ask you a couple of things, if you don't mind. It might be important..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your borf doggo has evolved into big woof boi (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
> 
> Btw for those of you who don't know I am still watching the anime as it comes out in Japan. Won't spoil nothing for anybody who hasn't seen the newest episode yet, but I will say this show knows how to hit me in my feels man ;w;
> 
> Feel free to discuss in the comments though.


	44. Chapter 43 - As Long As You're Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys arrive in Malie City, a bustling tourist attraction on Ula'Ula island. They explore the city together, growing just a bit closer as they share unique experiences and begin to grow used to the idea of a relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry about the hiatus again. Had to take care of graduation and deal with a bad case of writer's block. Made this chapter extra long to make up for it. I don't have to go to school anymore, yaaay! ^w^

Moon, Gladion, and Hau all sat together at a circular table. Zoroark was still sat on the floor near it's trainer, munching out of a bowl of pokébeans as the children conversed. Each of them had a fruity drink in front of them, and Hau was sat so close to Gladion he could hug his arm. He was leaned on his shoulder, almost tiredly. Moon fiddled with her straw, almost boredly. "So...since your plans have change, what's next?" she asked  
  
"I...I'm not sure," Gladion admitted. Hau blinked, tilting his head slightly as he tried to think. The only logical step was for Gladion to keep travelling with him, but eventually, the trials would be over. What would come after that? Could he just bring Gladion home with him? That would come with a lot of complications, surely. Hala could only afford to feed  _one_ young mouth full time. Gladion filled the gap of silence again as he pulled his drink closer to him, "Well,  _actually_..."  
  
Both Hau and Moon lifted their heads curiously. The blonde blushed in embarrassment as he pouted slightly, "My sister is still out there, after all. I know she hates me right now and she probably doesn't wanna talk to me. But I just know she's not safe where she is right now. I want to find her again and when I do, I wanna fix things." Moon frowned, "No offense, Han. But dontcha think that went over  _poorly_ last time?" Gladion shook his head, "I know she wants to take matters into her own hands..."  
  
"But...?" Hau guessed.  
  
"... _But_ , even if that plan of hers were to somehow work, which it  _won't_ , she couldn't possibly carry it out on her own."  
  
"You mean you'd wanna help her go after the President?"  
  
"If I had to...I'd..."  
  
"...Th-then I'll help you too!"  
  
"H-Hau...!"  
  
"You're my boyfriend. And I already told you, I'm not letting that crazy lady touch you again. Let me help. I can protect you."  
  
Gladion stared at Hau with sparkling adoring eyes. Then Moon pitched in as well, "You know what? Fuck it. I'm in too. Let's kick this crazy broad's ass." Gladion held his hands up, waving them frantically in protest. "W-Wait just a second! You guys can't just decide this! Moon, you're the strongest of us and even  _I_ don't think you could go toe-to-toe with her!" Moon smirked smugly at him, "Han, lemme give you some advice. I don't  _do_ impossible. I  _make_ possible."  
  
"But-" Gladion tried to protest, but was ultimately silenced again by his boyfriend. "Hanini, don't argue. We're not taking no for an answer. But...we'll only do this if it's what  _you_ wanna do." Gladion considered this for a moment. It was the only plan past the trials he could've thought of. Alternatively, he could give up his search for his sister and Cleffy, but... _No_. That was  _not_ an option. Lillie was his family. There was no reason he had to continue justifying his cowardice like this.  
  
He shook his head, "There's no other way. I  _have_ to help her. So...all I can ask is that you two are careful." Moon nodded, "Of course! I'll start a search for her, maybe I can draw her out by pissin' her off and bring her to you. Then, once we've convinced her, we'll all infiltrate Aether Paradise after Hau and I have finished our trials. You know, after we've had time to train our pokémon to their full potential." Gladion nodded, glancing down at Hau.  
  
"It's settled then. In the meantime, Hau and I will try to keep a low profile while we train our pokémon," he said. Hau nodded back in agreement. Moon smirked again, sipping her drink confidently. Gladion was about to sip from his own drink, when Zoroark snatched it and began drinking from it. He pouted at his pokémon's behavior, "H-Hey! I paid for that!" Hau giggled, pulling a bottle of tea out of his backpack and handing it over to Gladion.   
  
"Here, I'll pay you back for the drink later. You like this stuff better anyways, right?"  
  
"...Yeah. Thanks, mon cher."  
  
It didn't take long for the trio to get to their destination on Ula'Ula. Once they did, they quickly collected their pokémon before they deboarded. Gladion leaving out his Lycanroc and Moon and Hau leaving out their starter pokémon. As soon as they exited the Ferry Station, they were caught in child-like wonder and awe as the city was in full view. Moon darted in front of the boys as her Brionne hopped out of the waters and beside her. "Wow! Would ya look at that bustlin' city! There must be like a  _million_ things to do here!" she gasped.  
  
"I don't even know where we should start!" Hau beamed. He turned to look at his partner, putting his hands behind his back, "What do you think, alola?" The older boy looked up in thought for a moment. He looked down at Hau again after a brief moment, "Well, what does the map say is around here?" The younger boy pulled their map from his bag, looking over it carefully. Eventually his eyes landed on Malie City. "Oh! Here it is! There's a lot of attractions, actually," he said.  
  
"There's a garden, a sushi bar, a salon, a clothing store..." he suddenly gasped as stars shined in his eyes, "Hanini, look! They've got a Malasada Shop here! Can we get some, pleeeaaassseee~?" Gladion chuckled, "Alright, alright. Moon, you gonna come with?" Moon's brows furrowed as she held up a hand in a slight wave, "Sorry boys. Maybe next time. I  _gotta_ go check the fashion around this place! See ya around!" Moon took off, her Brionne following close beside her as it barked with excitement.  
  
Gladion held Hau's hand as they began down the street where Moon had just run off. Lycanroc stopped only for a moment as it looked back. However, it was quickly called back to it's trainer's side, forced to abandon it's gut feeling. As the group continued down the street and far from the Ferry Station, 2 boys exited the front doors. One of them was tall and chubby, while the other was much shorter but lankier. The chubby one pulled an out-dated looking phone from his pocket, holding it up to his ear as it rang.  
  
"...Hey, lady. We're on Ula'Ula. You're probably gonna wanna hear this..."

* * *

  
As the boys exited the malsada shop, Hau bit down onto his malasada to hold it as he pulled the map back out. Gladion looked over his shoulder, curiously scanning the city landmarks on the map. Then his eyes stopped on a particular building as he gently put his hand on Hau's arm. "Hey...what's that place?" he asked. Hau tried to answer, but every word was muffled by the treat in his mouth. Gladion rolled his eyes, grabbing the malasada and pulling it out his mouth, much to Hau's disapproval.  
  
"Heeeyyy!" he pouted. "Don't talk with your mouth full," Gladion lectured. Hau just shrugged off the complaint and repeated himself. "I  _said_ , that's a library. They have..." he trailed off for a moment before he stopped in his tracks. Gladion raised a brow at him curiously. Hau blinked, "... _books_." The blonde sweat a bit as a grin stretched across Hau's face and his grip on the map tightened. His eyes sparkled with his usual enthusiasm. Gladion blinked at him nervously.  
  
"Wha-"  
  
"Do you wanna go check it out~?"  
  
Gladion blinked again, before smiling slightly. "Sure," he agreed, putting the malasada back into Hau's mouth, and taking the map out of his hands. The younger boy happily munched on his treat as they continued walking together. Once he quickly finished it, he began sparking up conversation again. "So, did you use to read a lot growing up?" Hau asked. Gladion nodded, "Yeah, actually. I...started the habit when I was 9 years old. It was when I first started becoming a little more..."  
  
He hesitated to say it, but Hau could tell what he was about to say from the frown on his face. "... _introverted_ ," he finished. Hau blinked at him, patiently waiting for him to continue. And it paid off. "I opted to get smarter as it became more clear that Lusamine was getting more and more irrational. And, after she broke my hand, I had already started setting my plan of escape in motion," he explained. Hau's eyes widened a bit, "So you planned your escape for almost 3 years?"  
  
Gladion nodded, "Yeah. So I started reading. Thankfully, I was able to keep my intentions hidden very easily. While my mother thought I was finally falling into her perfect order, I was actually just preparing myself to escape it." Hau smiled, "That sounds pretty smart! I dunno if I'd have ever thought to do something like that if I were in that position." The mere hypothetical set Gladion's nerves into an uncomfortable place again. His smile faltered a little as he looked away from his boyfriend.  
  
"...Is something the matter?" Hau asked. The blonde sighed. Nothing got past him, did it? "I guess I'm still worried about this plan. I don't wanna put you in danger. And I definitely don't want you near that woman ever again," he admitted. Despite already knowing Gladion's concerns, the younger boy was a bit taken aback by this. He stared at the older boy with a strange look. And Gladion noticed. "I-I don't mean to scare you. But she's ruthless, Hau. If she  _ever_ did something to you, I-" he stopped himself.  
  
Hau gently put his hand on his arm, nodding at him to continue. Gladion stared back for a moment before he kept going. "I...I don't care about Lusamine. But I do care about you and your safety. And I know I can't stop you from helping me and my sister. I just don't know if I'm good enough to-" he was cut off again as Hau moved his hand up to touch his cheek. He lowered the map, turning himself around to look at Hau with wide eyes. He had that worried look again.  
  
"Don't say things like that. You're not weak. And you don't have to worry about me," he smiled before he continued, "I'll always be here for you. Yeah...it's possible I might get hurt. But I'm not scared." Gladion still seemed unconvinced. "But I don't want-" he was cut off a second time as Hau covered his mouth with his hand. He pouted a bit as he raised a brow at him, "Let's stop focusing on what you  _don't_ want, and start focusing on what you  _do_ want. Ok?"  
  
The question invoked several answers in his head. Answers that all seemed worth the risks. He nodded, prompting Hau to move his hand off of his mouth and back onto his cheek. The blonde blushed a little as the younger boy rubbed his thumb along his skin. Hau smiled, "Good. So what's the first thing you  _want_ , alola?" Gladion rolled his eyes, gently grabbing Hau's hand and pulling it off his face as he held it. He smirked smugly as he answered.  
  
"I  _want_  to go to the library."  
  
"E hele kaua!"  
  
Gladion smiled nervously, "Um...don't know that one, mon cher." Hau's eyes lit up, "Oh! I meant 'Let's go'. Sorry, I do it when I get excited!" He chuckled light-heartedly. It didn't take them long to reach their destination, and thankfully, they had long since finished their malasadas. They entered cautiously, still weary to anyone from Aether lurking around the islands. However, it appeared there was no reason to worry. As there wasn't a single white suit in sight. They sighed in relief before Hau looked up at him again.  
  
"Oh, right. Since you've never been in a library before...you gotta be super quiet. Cause everyone in here is reading. So like, they need to focus," he explained. Gladion nodded in understanding. Hau tilted his head at him. "Is there a specific genre you like? Or are you like...a hardcore bookworm?" he asked innocently. The older boy nearly chuckled at the younger boy's question, but managed to stifle it. "I kind of like poetry, actually," he admitted. Hau looked around until his eyes landed on a particular sign.  
  
"Oh, it's over there. C'mon, Hanini," he said, hugging Gladion's arm and leading him towards the poetry section. The older boy glanced over all the books, ruling out those he had read before until one stuck out to him. Almost quite literally, as it seemed to jut out from it's intended spot. He pulled it out, flipping it open to look. Gladion raised a brow at it's contents, noticing quite a bit of it was faded, prompting Hau to peek over his shoulder at it. They both silently read the passage together.  
  
_The empty sky broke asunder,  
a hole appearing where had been none.  
A single beast appeared from in it:  
it was called the beast that ░░░░ the ░░░░.  
the king of Alola bowed before it:  
the beast that ░░░░░░░░░░░░.  
The island guardians fought against it, but in the end they lost the fight.  
Then did the beast that _ _░░░░_ _the ░░░░  
__░░░░_ _░░░░_ _on the line of kings.  
__░░░░_ _░░░░_ _the beast_ _░░░░_ _won  
__░░░░_ _░░░░_ _░░░░_ _░░░░_ _░░░░_ _░░░░_ _things.  
Beast of sun and beast of moon.  
Through their union, they brought new life.  
A fragile heir in Alola born  
that island guardians would keep from strife.  
The ancient kings sang their thanks  
for ░░░░ with song of flute.  
Two tones rang out across the altar_ _—_ _  
a perfect pair, ever after mute.  
  
_"I can barely make out most of this. It looks really beat up," Hau commented. Gladion nodded, sweating a little as he scanned the lines over and over. "Yeah...and it's almost as if it's not a poem but it's actually some kind of legend," the older boy added. Hau tapped a finger against his cheek, trying to think. "I dunno why, but something about beasts associated with the sun and the moon sounds familiar. But I can't really place it," Hau admitted. Gladion turned his head to look at him curiously.  
  
"It does?" he asked. Hau nodded, "Mm. My mom used to tell me stories before I went to bed when I was really  _really_ young. Like, when she still had to teach me how to walk 'n talk 'n stuff. But I forgot most of them since I was so young." Gladion hummed in thought. He too, could've sworn that he recognized this story. However, just like Hau, he was also unable to place the source of it. Was it a story his mother told him when he too was much younger? Was it perhaps a passage he glossed over in a book at some point?  
  
He shook off the vague feeling he had. It felt unsettling, and he wasn't fond of it. He closed the book and stuffed it back where he found it. "I think I'd be better off trying something a little newer," he suggested, grabbing a more pristine looking book off of the shelf. He flipped it open, scanning it curiously. Hau noticed something, pulling off of Gladion as he headed down the line of bookshelves. The older boy noticed this and looked up at him, "Hau? Where are you going?"  
  
"Oh, I just saw they've got some books on pokémon training. I'm gonna go rent them for us."  
  
"Rent...?"  
  
"Oh, it means we can take anything we wanna read home with us and after a certain amount of time we gotta bring them back."  
  
"...So...I could take as many books as I'd like with me?"  
  
"Yup. Don't stress out too much about it though, ok, alola?"  
  
Gladion smiled sweetly, and Hau almost squealed at how adorable it was. He looked sincerely excited for once as he hugged the book in his hands to his chest and smiled, holding back tears of joy. He nodded, "Mmhm~!" Hau couldn't help but giggle under his breath at the sight. He waved, before he turned and headed off. The older boy glanced towards the bookshelves again. He had never had a taste of real freedom before today, and this was one of the luxuries he had longed for without even realizing it.  
  
He blinked, his mind returning to the poem he had just read again. He looked down at the floor, repeating the verses quietly to himself aloud. "Beast of sun and moon...song...of flute..." he strained to remember. It were these phrases in particular that seemed to stick out to him the most. But it was on the edge of his tongue, so on the edge he couldn't reach it. He shook the thoughts from his head, looking up at the selection of books again. He could worry about it much later, it was just a fairytale, after all.  
  
He ran his fingers along each book he recognized. He stopped at one in particular as he continued browsing down the array of shelves. He hadn't even noticed he was no longer looking at poetry books. It was a small book, one meant for children. One that he recognized almost immediately. It was nothing special, a predictable tale with a predictable moral, really. What stuck out to him however, was the memory behind it. He recalled his father often read him and his sister books since he was never good at making  _up_ stories like their mother was.  
  
This one was their favorite, one they demanded he read at least 10 times a year. He frowned. "Father..." he muttered. He gently pulled it out of it's place, holding it close to him along with the other book he was still holding. Glancing over the other books briefly, he turned and returned to the poetry section without another word. The blonde only ended up picking another book by the time that his boyfriend had returned. He noticed the younger boy had  _4_ books rather than 2 or 3.  
  
He blinked, "I-I know we can take as many as we need...but isn't that a little much?" Hau sweat a bit as he smiled nervously, "M-Maybe a little. But it's not like we have to take these with us on our trips or anything. We can just leave them in our motel rooms." The blonde hesitantly accepted this answer as he walked towards the front desk with Hau. "If you say so..." he muttered. The librarian gave them a friendly smile as they laid down their books to be checked out.  
  
"Hello there, young men. Is this everything?"  
  
Hau nodded, "Yeah. We'll bring them back in about 2 weeks if that's ok." The librarian nodded, jotting down the titles of their books in a record log. She looked up at them again, "And could I get your names please?" Gladion sweat a bit at this. He didn't really want to be in legal trouble for using a fraudulent name. However, before they could answer, she suddenly cried aloud in realization, "Oh! Geez, I'm such a numnuts. Could I just see your library cards?"  
  
Hau's face lit up with realization next, "Oh geez...! I almost forgot about that part." The older boy tilted his head curiously, "What's a...library card?" The librarian blinked at this, "Oh, does he not have one? I can get him one right away if you'd like." Hau held up his hands. Already this was getting out of hand and he had to push the eject button fast. "N-No no, that's fine. Just put them all in my name. We're kind of in a rush anyways. Here you go, miss," he said, pulling out a card from his backpack and handing it to her.  
  
She snorted as she looked it over, "Oh geez! This sure is an old card! Come back when you've got some time and I'll update that picture for you." She managed to compose herself before continuing, "Hmmm...Hau, is it? Alrighty then!" She marked down his name on all 6 books in her record log, before sliding the card back towards him on the desk. "You're all set! And don't worry if you're a day late, we have a 24 hour extra wait period. But after that, you'll have to pay a fine," she explained.  
  
Hau chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck, "Nah, it's cool. We'll be on time, miss. Thanks!" The boys quickly scooped up their respective books and hustled out of the building, once again sighing in relief as they exited. Quickly it faded, as Gladion blinked blankly at his books. "...I never knew there was a place like this. I usually just got them from Wicke or my father's old office," he explained. Hau raised a brow at this, "Your dad had a lot of books in his office?"  
  
Gladion's face turned sheepish, "W-Well...most of them were kid's books. But he had a few journals he kept in there too. I used to sneak in there all the time." They began walking again as Hau continued the conversation, eager to hear more, "Sneak in? Did your mom...not let you go in there?" The older boy nodded, "At first, she seemed fine with it. But as she got more and more...you know." Hau nodded, "Obsessed?" The blonde winced at this, but nodded back, "Yeah...that."  
  
"So she started locking it and forbidding you from entering?"  
  
"Pretty much. I think she was glad when she finally had an excuse to lock us up in the mansion entirely."  
  
"Was his office in the facility?"  
  
"Yeah, it was. It was in the one floor that became near impossible for me to access over time. The basement laboratories."  
  
"How come...how come she locked you guys up in the first place? You make it sound like something was in the basement..."  
  
"Yeah...it was the Nulls."  
  
Hau didn't have to ask too many questions. He could take an accurate guess on his own. However, this new conversation of the basement had him curious about something he didn't ask too much about. "You said...you were planning your escape for 3 years. And...I know the end result. But what about the start of it?" he asked. The blonde raised a brow at him, not fully understanding the question. Hau blushed in embarrassment.   
  
"O-Oh...what I meant was how you found the Nulls if it was so hard to get down there," he clarified. Gladion stopped briefly as the thought had been stirring in his head for quite some time. Hau stopped himself as well, keeping eye contact with Gladion as the gears in his head began turning. "I found them..." Gladion began, hesitating slightly. Hau nodded for him to continue. "I found them in a makeshift cage. It was...like an extension of the room but...with bars. Rusty ones. And it had no lights," he explained.  
  
"There were 3, right? They all...looked the same?"  
  
"Yeah. They did."  
  
"Had you seen them before?"  
  
"No...that's why...it was difficult to earn their trust. I didn't have much time to convince them to come with me."  
  
"So how did you do it? It sounds like so much pressure!"  
  
"I-I dunno I just...my Null, he was the first one to approach me. He demanded a token of good will. And that was setting them all free. So I did, with a PC I found next to their cage. That was where I learned it's name, it's typing, it's moves, everything. And...they all had code names. Nicknames, I suppose."  
  
"They did?"  
  
" _My_ Null...his name is Alpha. And...th-that makes sense. He was definitely the leader of the 3."  
  
He was choking up now, but he wasn't crying. He had learned how to control that over time. Perhaps it was Hau's influence that made it easier. Hau quietly listened, disheartened by his boyfriend's mournful tone. The older boy continued with a shaky breath, "The other 2...there was one that was pretty aggressive. It took a bit of convincing from N-" he stopped himself. Hau tilted his head curiously. Gladion shook his head as he once again continued, " _Alpha_. And...the other one seemed pretty shy."  
  
"Really? That sounds so sweet," Hau cooed. The older boy smiled sadly, "Yeah...it was. I think...that one was the first one to buy us some time." Hau blinked at him, before he smiled sweetly and nuzzled Gladion's shoulder. "You said there's a chance that one might be alive, yeah?" he asked. Gladion blinked at him curiously. "Y...Yes. There  _is_ a possibility since it's mask wasn't taken off," he admitted. Hau nodded, "Then when we carry out this plan...we'll try to find it and rescue it. Even if it's a long shot..."  
  
A wave of emotion washed over Gladion as he realized something. For once, he actually believed the possibility more then he believed the  _improbability_. He truly felt like he could have hope. He smiled, "Yeah...I'd like that." Hau planted a gentle kiss on the older boy's cheek, leaning up on his toes to do so. Gladion chuckled, nuzzling the younger boy's head lovingly. "So, what do you wanna go see next~?" Hau asked, gazing up at his boyfriend with vibrant eyes. Gladion smirked.  
  
"Hmm...I was thinking perhaps we could check out that sushi bar you mentioned~"

* * *

  
The motel room was a bit more spacious than the last couple of places they had stayed at. Nowhere near Tide Song Hotel, but much less cramped. They released their pokémon once again, allowing them to find comfortable places to rest and play as they settled themselves on the bed. Hau let out an exhausted sigh, "Phew! That was a long day. The city is even more cool than I imagined~!" Gladion chuckled, "You're far too easily pleased, Hau." Hau pouted at this, "Oh don't tell me you  _weren't_ impressed!"  
  
Gladion held his hands up in defeat, "Alright alright, I admit it. This place is  _pretty_ cool. They have a lot more to do here than Royal Avenue had." Hau nodded, reaching for his books beside him and flipping it open, "If you want, we can take another day tomorrow to explore some more! Maybe we could just...hang out." He blushed as the offer left his mouth. The older boy blinked at him slowly, his face also flushing. He smiled, taking Hau's free hand that rested on the bed.  
  
"Sure...I think I'd really like that, actually," he admitted. He leaned in, stealing a kiss from Hau. It got a bit deep, but nothing compared to the one from the night before. It was quickly broken however as Gladion noticed the contents of Hau's book. "You rented a cook book?" he asked. Hau blushed in embarrassment and nodded, "Yeah. I wanted to learn how to make those galettes you like so much. And...maybe learn how to make my own malasadas." Gladion smirked teasingly, snatching the book from his hands and holding it above his reach.  
  
"Oh no you don't~ That's too much power for  _you_ to handle," he teased. Hau pouted and whined, reaching futilely to take back the book. "You cannot hide the secret forever! I'm destined for this!" he argued. The blonde just chuckled as the younger one in his attempts to retrieve his book toppled onto his boyfriend accidentally, once again pushing the older boy beneath him on the bed. Hau managed a strained smile of amusement, "You happy now, ya jerk?"  
  
"Pft, shut up, you  _love_ me~" Gladion snickered. The declaration, while obviously a bit sarcastic, caught the younger boy for a loop. They hadn't been doing this very long, but the dreaded word had seemed like an impossible obstacle. The older boy almost immediately noticed his sudden reaction. He blinked, "Are you ok?" Hau blinked frantically, before slowly pulling himself off Gladion with a pout. He fiddled with his hair, twirling one of the loose clumps with his finger as he continued huffing.  
  
"N-Nothing," he insisted.  _What's wrong with me...? It's not that big a deal...is it?_ he thought. Gladion sat up, slowly handing Hau his book back. His mental shame drove him to quickly change the subject. He wasn't sure how, but he knew somehow he had upset his partner. "Wh-what else did you rent? Did you get those pokémon training books?" he asked, rubbing his arm nervously. Hau too felt a bit guilty in seeing this reaction. But he was unable to force himself to return to the previous subject.  
  
"Y-Yeah. I got a couple of those and a book that translates Kaloch to English," he said, holding up a significantly smaller book with the words "Kaloch to English Translations" written in both languages advertised on the cover. Gladion's eyes widened a bit, "W-Wow! That's amazing, Hau!" Hau nodded, somehow mustering a slight smile. He glanced at Gladion's pile, "So you just got a bunch of poetry, right?" Gladion looked down sadly, running his hand along the obvious odd-one-out at the top of his pile.  
  
"Actually...there was one in particular that was from a  _different_ genre. It's...a  _little_ childish. But I...had a memory looking at it," he explained. Hau tilted his head curiously. Hesitantly, the older boy picked it up and put it into his lap to show Hau who read the cover aloud. "The Giving Trevenant," he said. He raised a brow, "It's...a kid's book? Is this something you used to read when you were little?" Gladion shook his head, "Not exactly. Our parents always tucked us in. And my mother would make up stories while my father just read us books."  
  
"Oh, really?"  
  
"Yeah...it's nothing special, really. I just...really felt like it might give me some comfort."  
  
"...Do you want to show it to me? I've never read it before."  
  
Gladion stared at Hau for a moment, before smiling and nodding, "Sure. Just don't blame me if you think it's boring or dumb." Hau chuckled, gently shoving Gladion in a playful manner to scold him. "Just shut up and read it, you dork~" he giggled. Gladion nodded, opening up the book to it's first page. His Umbreon jumped onto the bed, along with any of the other smaller pokémon that were able to squeeze in and watch him read. The older, burlier pokémon just sat on the floor, listening patiently and quietly.

* * *

  
As the older boy stirred from his peaceful slumber, he was much dissatisfied to find his personal pillow was missing. He sat up almost instantly, rubbing at his eyes as he looked around. It didn't take long for his eyes to land on a certain set of eyes staring eagerly at him from the end of the bed. He blinked at the grinning face that leaned against the edge. "Good morning, sleeping beauty~" he cooed. The blonde's face went completely red as he recognized the flirt.  
  
He pulled up the covers to cover up his face, pouting under his breath. Hau giggled, crawling his way onto the bed towards him. He pulled down the sheets, leaning in close to his face. "Get up, lazybones. We're gonna go have some fun today," he insisted. Gladion rolled his eyes, shoving Hau back passively as he threw his legs over the side of the bed and scratched at his head. "Yeah yeah, I know," he pouted. Hau shuffled himself off the bed as Gladion got up, promptly waking up his pokémon and calling them into their pokéballs.  
  
"What're we even doing today? We went to quite a few places already, you know," The blonde asked, fetching fresh clothes from his satchel bag. Hau put his hands behind his head before he leaned back a bit, "Well, I was thinkin', how about we go swimming?" The older boy once again rolled his eyes at Hau. Sometimes his forgetfulness was exhausting. "Hau, I already told you before, I  _can't_ swim," he reminded him. Hau gave him a knowing grin as he turned around to face him, "I know~"  
  
The odd response perplexed him, so much so he had to pause and process it. "...But-" he interjected. He was cut off as Hau grabbed his hands suddenly, "I'm gonna teach you!" The older boy blushed, staring curiously at Hau. Something about the offer touched him. He wasn't able to formulate an answer before Hau got impatient. "C'mon, it'll be fun. I promise, I won't let anything bad happen," he insisted. The older boy processed this for a bit longer, his eyes slowly changing as he did so.  
  
He glanced away from Hau for a moment. His heart was rapidly racing. But why? What was the big deal? It sounded like just some mundane offer. But it seemed to mean a whole lot more for some reason. Was it because nobody had ever offered to teach him things like this before? He managed to look Hau in the eye again. He was still apprehensive, "Y...You're sure...?" Hau nodded silently. He could see Gladion's eyes relax as he finally gave his answer, "A...Alright. I guess...I could try."  
  
Hau beamed excitedly, "Perfect!" As he pulled his hands away and turned to head towards the couch, Gladion grabbed the back of his shirt. "A-Ah, wait a minute!" he insisted. Hau stopped himself, turning around to look at his boyfriend again. "What is it?" he asked. "Well...I don't have any swimwear..." he pouted. Hau smiled again, "Oh! That's ok! There's probably something down at the clothing store! We can stop there first, ok?" Gladion nodded, seeming satisfied with this answer.  
  
Gladion's pokémon all began waking as he entered the bathroom to change. Umbreon joined with Lycanroc and Zoroark as they began watching cartoons, whilst Golbat instead took up conversation with Null. It had becoming practically bustling within a matter of moments, a pattern that had picked up quite a bit lately. Hau blinked as he heard Gladion call for him. "What is it?" he asked. He could hear the embarrassment in his tone as he confessed.  
  
"I um...I think I broke the sink..."  
  
Hau managed to stifle a chuckle of amusement, "Alright alright, I'm comin'."

* * *

  
Hau was quick to set up camp on the beach. He was careful to rent an umbrella just in case the sun screen didn't do much to protect Gladion's pale skin. He was practically a beacon in the daylight. Gladion was careful not to be in his way while he set up, holding their freshly ordered malasadas in his hands. Despite the warm weather, yet again did Hau order the spicy flavor. He wondered if he'd ever learn his lesson. Thankfully, it didn't take him long to prepare everything.  
  
Gladion blushed and looked away when Hau unbuttoned his shirt and took it off. Since his shorts doubled as swim trunks, he didn't have to do much to prepare. He sat down, only noticing after a minute or so that Gladion was still avoiding looking at him. He chuckled, "Sorry, Hanini! Here, come sit down." Gladion nodded, sitting beside his partner and handing him his malasada. He smiled, "I'm kind of glad we decided to get some more today. I know _you_ always want these, but..."  
  
"Wow alola, I didn't think you'd be that happy about it~!"  
  
"Well, I...I really  _like_ them."  
  
Hau stared at his partner with wide and starry eyes. Did he really just say what he thought he said? Gladion was shying his eyes away as he bit into his malasada. Hau just smiled, before digging into his own treat. Once again, as expected, he hissed in pain at the hot flavor he had chosen. Gladion glanced at him, his breath frosted from his malasada. He noticed Hau hold his hand out towards him, and he was caught frozen staring at him. He would've given Hau his malasada, if not for a strange thought entering his mind.  
  
He began thinking back to the strange kiss Hau had given him a couple nights ago. It had only lasted for a minute or so, but the sensation was undoubtedly pleasurable. He blinked at Hau blankly, his frosted breath still escaping his lips as he blushed. He put his malasada down on the towel, cupping Hau's face in his hands. The younger boy gave him a doe-eyed look, not expecting the contact. But he expected what came next even less as Gladion pressed his lips against his.  
  
Hau's face went red as he felt Gladion's tongue slide along his lips. After snapping out of his initial shock, he allowed the older boy entry to his mouth as he clutched to his chest, dropping his malasada onto the towel. He moaned as his eyes slid shut, enjoying the feeling of Gladion's tongue brushing against his. The kiss lasted much longer this time, both of them moaning and panting as their tongues tangled in a damp mess. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the blonde pulled away.  
  
He gazed down at his partner, his eyes narrowing as the same frost left Hau's mouth. Hau blinked at him after catching his breath, putting a hand over his mouth as he looked away shyly. The older boy completely snapped out of it, looking away sheepishly. "S-Sorry! I...I just...wanted to try it again..." he muttered. Hau looked up at him with the same inflamed look as before, before taking his hand and rubbing it gently with his thumb. The blonde stared at him in bewilderment for a moment.  
  
Hau smiled sweetly, "I guess now we're even then." The response brought Gladion back to the night before. He looked down nervously, still frowning. "...Hau, did I do something wrong?" he asked. Hau's eyes lit up with confusion. "Wh-what? Of course not! What're you-" he was cut off as Gladion tried to clarify. "Last night. When we were playing. You looked like you got upset. W-Was it something I said?" he asked. Hau's eyes widened.  _Crap...! He noticed...!_ Hau cursed himself internally.  
  
"N-No, it's not something you did. I was just being a jerk."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"I'd tell you if I was mad at you, alola. You didn't do anything wrong."  
  
Gladion seemed to accept this answer, picking up his malasada and continuing to munch on it. Hau did the same, both of them opting to avoid the awkward conversation any further. In the backs of their heads however, it ate at them.  _Stupid, I should've just been honest. But he probably didn't notice he even said it. I don't wanna make things **more** awkward... _Hau thought. Gladion on the other hand, was still skeptical of Hau's abrupt reaction last night.  
  
_Maybe I should've just stopped teasing him? I didn't **want** to be  **mean**... _he thought. As soon as they finished their treats however, the had no more means to skirt around anything. Then, Hau realized something. "Oh! We should let everyone out to play while we have our lesson," he suggested, unzipping his backpack. Gladion nodded in agreement, pulling out all his pokémon save for Null and releasing them as Hau released his own companions. Hau turned away from Gladion, fishing through his bag for the sun screen.  
  
Gladion took the opportunity to take off his clothes so that all that remained was his new bathers that were hidden underneath. It was all a onesie, but the top was a pale blue tank top, while the bottom half were white and blue striped shorts. He popped off his shoes, just before Hau finally held out the sun screen to him. He took it, spraying it on himself as Hau stood up and walked a little ways away from the small campsite to give each of their pokémon some pokébeans for a snack.  
  
"We can just start on the shallow end," Hau said. The older boy waited for a few moments after spraying to assure it was dry. Then, he stood up, and turned to look at Hau. His face was flushed again as he took in a subtle change Hau had done while he wasn't looking. "H-Hau?" he called. Hau turned his head to look at him. He no longer had his ponytail in, though his hairclips still kept the extra bangs out of his eyes. A long flow of hair ran down along his neck and back, though not nearly comparable to his mother's locks.  
  
"What's the matter?" he asked, blinking curiously. Gladion quickly shook his head.  _Pull it together, will you?_ he thought. "Nothing, just...I've never really seen your hair down before. It's so long..." he muttered. Hau chuckled, blushing in embarrassment as he scratched his cheek, "Hehe, yeah...it kinda gets in the way alot. I'm just pulling some of it down since I'm gonna get wet anyways." Gladion nodded slowly, still trying to compose himself properly, "That makes sense..."  
  
It didn't take Hau all that long to notice his behavior. And once he did, he smiled smugly as he approached Gladion. He stared up at him with a flirtatious expression, "You wanna touch it." The immediate call to his demeanor had the older boy squirming in a mere instant. "Wh-what?! No, I-" he was interrupted as Hau held up a hand to silence him. "It's alright, Hanini. Go ahead," he insisted. He blushed a bit, looking away from him almost shyly before he added, "It's normal anyways, I think..."  
  
He began twirling one of his dangling clumps of hair held back by his hairclips again. Gladion found comfort in the suggestion, gently reaching forward and playing with Hau's hair as he ran his fingers through it. He would easily compare it to silk. It was just another detail of Hau that had him entrance. "It's so soft..." he muttered accidentally. It was meant to be a thought more than an audible compliment. Hau's face reddened at this, "Everybody always says that."  
  
The blonde couldn't help but chuckle, "Probably because it's true." Eventually, he managed to stop himself from fiddling with Hau's hair any further. Hau took the opportunity to take Gladion's hand and lead him gently towards the waters. "C'mon, you can hold onto me if you get scared," he cooed. Gladion nodded, swallowing nervously as he followed Hau's lead, "O...Ok." Slowly, Hau inched him towards the edge of the waters. The constant stream of waves crashing at the sand's surface seemed restless.  
  
Slowly, they both stepped into it, Gladion almost immediately flinching and jumping onto Hau as a wave swept against his ankles. He squeaked, almost hyper aware of his surroundings now. Hau smiled at him comfortingly as he soothed him down. "Easy, alola. It's just water. It's not gonna hurt you," he reassured. "Not unless there's too much of it..." Gladion pouted. "You'll be  _ok_. Take deep breaths. You can do this. I'll keep you safe, remember?" he reminded him.  
  
Gladion nodded, hesitantly but obediently following Hau a little further into the water. It was cold, and he shivered more and more the deeper they entered into it. He rubbed at his shoulder with his free hand. "G-Geez...I thought it'd be warmer with the sun out," he chattered. Hau chuckled, "Actually, the sun reflects  _off_ of water. You'd have to like...boil it from the inside or something." Gladion blinked, before his face turned sheepish. "On second thought...freezing water is less mortifying than boiling water."  
  
Hau giggled, turning himself around as he grabbed both of Gladion's hands. He kept on cooing reassurances to him as they went along, the older boy clinging onto his boyfriend's hands like a lifeline. Eventually, it reached their shoulders. Hau guided Gladion's hands and arms up, "Just wrap your arms around me like this. I'll hold onto you so you don't sink, ok?" Gladion nodded, hesitantly following after Hau as he pulled him off the last bit of reachable ground.   
  
It certainly wasn't steep, but it wasn't very easy to even touch the bottom with even the tip of his toes without burying at least half of his head in water. He looked down at his feet anxiously, "I-I can't...f-feel the ground anymore." Hau noticed his unease instantly. "Hey, it's ok. Look at me," he said, putting his hand on the older boy's cheek to gain his attention. The blonde stared up at him, blushing slightly. Hau smiled sweetly, "You're  _ok_. Remember, e aho."  
  
For a long moment yet again, the older boy was caught gazing at Hau. The elongated silence made Hau worried. "What is it...?" he whispered. The question seemed to bring Gladion back to reality for a brief moment. Then, he leaned in and kissed him once again. It was much more chaste this time, but a lot more meaningful. Hau was certainly surprise by it, but not opposed to it as he pulled Gladion closer to him. After a minute or so, Gladion pulled back and seemed shameful of his act.  
  
"...S...Sorry, I just-" Hau shook his head, "Mm. It's ok. Whatever you need to help you feel better." The offer automatically seemed to calm his nerves. He buried his face in Hau's shoulder, nuzzling him as he whispered, "Don't let go of me..." At first, Hau thought he might've been talking about their swimming lesson. And he would've explained he'd have to at some point too, if not for another more sensible thought hitting him. Since the previous day, it was obvious, the older boy was entirely infatuated with him.  
  
This went beyond a crush, but even so, he didn't want to rush anything. Still, he wouldn't deny Gladion any comfort he demanded. He deserved every last bit of it. Tightening his grip around the older boy, he whispered back. "...I promise," he said. Their lesson continued as expected, the older boy continuing to be quite antsy and opposed to the idea of doing it on his own. But eventually, the training wheels had to go. Their pokémon observed quietly, intrigued by the odd activity they were partaking in.  
  
Soon the sun reached it's peak in the summer sky. Hau was stifling his giggles as Gladion swam with the same technique as a canine pokémon. His cheeks were flush and puffed up from needlessly and preemptively holding his breath. Hau only allowed him to traverse a foot or so before grabbing onto him again. He chuckled joyfully, "You can stop holding your breath now~! You did great, alola!" The blonde took in a deep gasp of air, wrapping his arms around Hau as he shivered uncomfortably.  
  
"I...I did?"  
  
"Yeah! See? You're learning already!"  
  
"I...I guess I am. Thank you, Hau."  
  
"Hmmm...It looks like it's about noon now. Wanna take a break from this?"  
  
Gladion nodded, "Yes,  _please_. My legs are tired." Hau beamed, pulling Gladion back onto the shore and guiding him back onto the towels. They both dried themselves off, before Gladion glanced at his pokémon who were all playing with Hau's pokémon or each other. He blinked, not looking at Hau as he began to speak again. "You know...maybe we should train everyone for a day or so before we continue our travels. Might be good prep for your trials and any Skull Gang thugs," he suggested.  
  
Hau blinked, "Are you sure?" Gladion nodded, finally turning his head to look at him. "Yeah, I'm sure. Unless you're in a hurry, that is..." he muttered. Hau shook his head and beamed again, "Nope! We can do that. Let's do it here, actually." Gladion raised a brow at this, "Are...you sure?" Hau nodded, "There's a lot more space here than the motel parking lot. And it's a lot less of a hassle to clean up afterwards." Gladion nodded back and smiled, "Alright then...here it is."  
  
The boys began calling their pokémon over, eager to start their training as soon as possible.

* * *

  
Both the day and the night had gone by so quickly that either of the boys could scarcely believe it when it was time to rest up yet again. Their training had eaten up so much of their time that they just plain lost track of it. Regardless, they were both satisfied with the amount of training their pokémon had gotten in by the time they had to turn in. All was quiet. Most nights, nobody expected anything of any merit to occur. It was almost always uneventful.  
  
However, tonight would be a bit more eventful than either had planned. They were already deep into their slumber. Hau's hair was still mostly down save for his hair clips, and they were both sprawled out, spooning with each other as they snored softly. However, Gladion suddenly began gripping at the sheets as he twitched in distress. Only a few of his pokémon stirred, those sitting closest to the bed which included his Golbat, Umbreon, and of course, Null.  
  
It took a few minutes for Hau to be stirred by the commotion. His moaning and sleep talking progressively got more loud as was usual with his night terrors. They had thankfully become much less violent since he had opened himself up to the younger boy. Almost as if he maintained control through his resolve to not cause Hau any harm. Hau groaned in confusion at the sound, his grogginess not allowing him to recognize it was just Gladion's mad ramblings.   
  
"No...mother...please...! Stop...!"  
  
"Gladion...?"  
  
"No... _d-don't_...!"  
  
Immediately, Hau snapped out of his groggy state and realized what was happening. He eased his grip on Gladion to offer him some comfort, worried that a tighter grip may alarm him. "Hey, shhh...! It's alright. Can you hear me...?" he cooed. To his surprise, Gladion seemed to recognize his voice. "Hau...?!" he breathed. It was almost desperate and unbelieving. Like he couldn't possible exist. Hau smiled gently, nuzzling the back of Gladion's neck, "It's ok. I'm right here. She can't hurt you anymore."  
  
The sentiment seemed to panic him further, "N-No...have to leave...! Run...! Before she-" Hau turned Gladion around, cupping his face in his hands and pressing their heads together to comfort him. "I'm not going  _anywhere_. Please...relax. I'm right here. I won't let go of you," he cooed. Despite his eyes being shut tightly, Hau could see his face become a bit more relaxed. But he still appeared conflicted. "Hau..." he whispered. Hau wasn't sure how aware he was right now, but he didn't want to leave room for an argument.  
  
"I  _won't_...not unless you want me to."  
  
"No...! Don't let...don't leave me. I  _need_ you."  
  
Hau blushed, staring intently at Gladion's now more peaceful face as he slept. He couldn't help his rapid heartbeat at those words.  _I need you_. Over and over they repeated in his head. He snuggled against Gladion's chest, wrapping his arms around him to erase any doubts that may have still clouded his thoughts. He breathed deeply when Gladion returned the gesture, nuzzling his hair gently and gripping onto Hau as if he'd disappear if he ever released him.  
  
_"Shut up, you **love** me~"_  
  
Hau's thoughts swirled with the night before. Gladion's words repeated in his head, overlaying the new ones he had just heard. He shifted uncomfortably as he thought about them. That wasn't  _in_ correct. So what was the problem? He sighed mentally as he almost kicked himself mentally as well. He knew full well what it was. He was still afraid of scaring his companion away. He was on edge after his screw up, and Gladion saying that, even if just a joke didn't help his guilt.  
  
Perhaps when all of this was over, he could confess to him the truth. The older boy wasn't ready for something like that right now. He had to be careful. Gladion was fragile, and meant to be handle with great care. He had learned that by now. So it was naive of him to ever let himself make these mistakes.  _Maybe...there's a way I can make up for it without telling him..._ he thought. As he glanced up at Gladion's sleeping face again, it hit him. Quietly, he whispered one last thing to him before drifting back to sleep.  
  
"...Wau ia 'oe, Gladion..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact; I was _also_ going to include the dream from Gladion's perspective but I decided it might be a tad redundant. (And also this chapter totally isn't long enough as it is >w>)  
> May release a series of deleted scenes after this is over if you enough of you guys wanna see them, but we'll see how it goes lol.
> 
> Btw, shout out to that one Anonymous who totally called me out on my token beach episode. Y'all got me fam. You called it. >w<


	45. Chapter 44 - No Good Deed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nanu is paid a visit by an old friend, who discovers he is acting quite strange as Lillie and Strelitzia continue their training.

The innocent and soft humming of a young and vibrant girl rang through the air as she skipped along through Ula'Ula Meadow. Her messy purple hair was contained only by a single hair clip that created a small but equally messy bob at the top of her head. Her long and torn dress was poorly stitched, covered in patches of blue all over it. The dominating color was black, and ribbons that resembled the tendrils of a Mimikyu hung from the back, also stitched with patches.  
  
The forearm of her left arm had a golden and heavy looking band. Almost like ancient jewelry of some sort. Her pale lilac sandals thumped against the wooden planks that kept her from falling into a sea of red flowers. Her dull purple eyes opened as she arrived at her destination, passing the sign that read "Route 17". It didn't take her long to locate her target, darting for the police station that sat almost lonesomely outside the intimidating walls of Po Town. As always, the door was wide open.  
  
"Uncle Nanu~?"  
  
There were things she had learned to expect when visiting the Kahuna. He was lazy, unmotivated, and at times she could make out a hint of regrets that may have explained his behavior. However, she didn't really have enough details to be sure. Vague was practically Nanu's middle name, after all. She almost always expected to find him in a multitude of places at the station. In his chair, sleeping. On the couch, sleeping. On the floor... _sleeping_. If he was ever off to Poni Island, the door was shut.  
  
But since it wasn't today, she could conclude that if he had left, he didn't go very far. So she definitely expected to see him dozing in some random place yet again today. But her expectations were completely blown out of the water as she observed the Kahuna sitting on the floor, entirely awake with a cup of coffee in his hand. There were papers sprawled out everywhere, some of them even protruding off his desk. All his Meowths sat around the pile, careful not to touch anything.  
  
They, just like this girl, had never seen Nanu in this state before. She tilted her head curiously.  _He **hates** coffee _she thought. A fact she had learned about him quite early on. The bitter taste was scarcely the reason, apparently. His personal reason made a little less sense. But she knew he definitely meant it when he said he hated it. So why was he drinking it now? And what was with all the papers? She carefully stepped closer, stopping at the edge of the papers as she tried to read them upside-down.  
  
She noticed a pattern quickly. And she pouted. "Uncle Nanu, don't tell me you're letting these cookey conspiracy theories get into your head again!" she complained. Nanu looked up at her, he had a much more irritable expression. He usually only wore it when he knew he wasn't getting out of doing something. "It's not conspiracy, kid. It's an open case," he insisted. She blinked at him, "An open case...?" Nanu groaned, hesitantly standing onto his feet to meet her eyes properly.  
  
"Look, it's best you don't get involved. I got a bad feelin' about this."  
  
"Aw c'mon uncle Nanu, you can't say these things and expect me to  _not_ get curious!"  
  
"Acerola-"  
  
"Does this mean you're going to rejoin the force, uncle?"  
  
"Absolutely  _not_! I'm just...lookin' into this. Somethin' don't smell right."  
  
Acerola tilted her head at him again, before maneuvering around the scattered papers to get to him. She jumped up and down anxiously, "C'mon, uncle! There's gotta be  _something_ I can do!" Nanu rolled his eyes at her, scanning the papers on his desk. His eyes landed on a clipped out photograph that Guzma had sent him. He picked it up, holding it up for her. "I need you to be on the lookout for this kid here while you're conducting trials," he stated. Acerola was almost shocked at how easily she convinced him.  
  
"Who's that, uncle?" she said, taking the picture and looking it over carefully. Nanu sipped at his coffee cup before he continued. "I can't tell you that. I wanna keep this investigation as down-low as possible. If you see him, bring 'im to me. I got some question for 'im," he said. Acerola looked up at Nanu again, "And what about this strange pokémon in the picture? I've never seen it before." Nanu nearly internally cursed at himself. He sweat a bit, and while she did notice, she was left more confused than suspicious.  
  
"Don't worry about that right now. I need you to focus. Alright?" he deflected. She blinked again, before smiling her usual smile. "Alright...on  _one_ condition~!" she insisted. He groaned. He knew he would regret this. "Waddaya want?" he sighed. "I want to know why you're drinking coffee," she said. He blinked at her almost disbelievingly. "That's... _it_?" he said. She nodded, repeating his words eagerly, "That's it!" He glanced down at his mug for a moment as the answer seemed lost upon him.  
  
But Acerola was patient. She knew he would answer honestly if this case truly did mean this much to him. And if that  _were_ the case, then she had quite the tale to tell the children. He glanced at her after a couple minutes. Her face lit up, eagerly anticipating his answer. "...It's to keep me up so I can figure out a way to get around some complications in this case," he admitted. The answer was not at all what she was expecting. And yet, it lined up perfectly with everything she had observed since coming in here.  
  
She nodded again, "Alright then, uncle. I'll see what I can do!" Taking the paper and heading off towards the door, she stopped only when Nanu called out to her again. She turned around to look at him. He was rubbing his temples with his free hand. "Just...for Arceus sake, don't go blabbin' about this to nobody. This is  _really_ important, got it? This case is dangerous. So I don't involve you lightly, Ace," he lectured. Truly she was continuously astonished by how strange he was acting.  
  
Perhaps this was a side of Nanu that had died when he quit the force. She smiled at him, beaming brightly. "Don't worry uncle, nobody will hear a peep!" she reassured. He sat back down on the floor with a grunt. "Good..." he muttered. She turned away again, walking inconspicuously back to her home as she stared down at the photo in her hands. It was a slightly blurred photograph, most likely taken from a security camera.   
  
It featured a blonde boy in posh looking clothing, and a strange looking pokémon she had never seen before with a large mask obscuring it's face. The boy was riding on it's back, and he looked panicked and almost... _sad_ , in a way. It was quite the upsetting photo to look at. She wondered if Nanu had to look at these sorts of things on a daily basis when he was on the force. She examined every detail and color of the photograph, burning it into her brain. Now that Nanu was motivated, she wanted to do her best to keep it that way.  
  
"Don't worry uncle, I won't let you down~!"  


* * *

  
It was a lot more quiet and uneventful today. The blonde began to think her brash and scary attitude was a little  _too_ strong. After all, she didn't want to scare away  _all_ the potential stepping stones she had at her disposal. But it seemed the people were more weary now than ever of Route 17 and Po Town. Trial-Goers were a real rarity around this part of Ula'Ula. Of course none of them compared to the one she  _really_ wanted to fight. The tastes of battle these worms had given her was unsatisfactory.  
  
They posed a good enough challenge to her younger sister companion. However, Lillie longed for a taste of something that would appease her. And yet nothing came. She began to conclude that Moon was the only one who could meet her expectations well enough. Strelitzia was frustrated by Lillie's obvious struggle in this way as well. Despite how strong their pokémon had gotten, it seemed her elder sister companion was still unable to truly enjoy her battles the same way she used to.  
  
Whereas fighting these nitwit trainers used to bring her a sense of sick pleasure, now they aggravated her as much as the thought of Moon's face. Lillie wondered if perhaps the tables had been reversed. Would she feel alive battling Moon again? Would she feel something good again when she went against that accursed Trial-Goer? The only thrill she arrived from herself was the mere thought of kicking Moon where it hurt. And while she was down, too. She groaned aloud in frustration.  
  
"Arceus, I'm so  _bored_!" she whined. Strelitzia looked up from where she was sitting in the grass, while Lillie was perched on a rock. "Maybe we should go further down the road? They might be hiding from us," she suggested. Lillie shook her head, "No, I mean all these  _trainers_ are boring me. Beating these clowns just feels so damn empty now." Strelitzia tilted her head at this, but she fully understood this resolve. It definitely couldn't always be fun constantly beating everyone with no challenge to it.  
  
"Yeah...these pansies sure do get repetitive," she agreed. They both already had a pokémon out, ready for  _some_ kind of action. There were no wild pokémon, and certainly no Fearow to speak of today. Mareanie was practicing on a tree nearby, aiming to keep itself steady and aware for the next opponent it faced. Strelitzia's pokémon however just watched, happily clapping at the spectacle. It was much larger and rounder now, having evolved just the day before during it's training.  
  
It had a small pouch on the front of it's belly, containing the same single egg it had before. It's ponytail was completely let down, and now it had 3 hairs on each side of it's face that hung down in a cute bundle. Each end was tipped with a slightly darker shade of pink, and it's stubby feet were much the same color. It's arms were still stubby, and the rose on it's cheek was all but gone now. It's beady and small black eyes sparkled with complete excitement and adoration as Mareanie continued to train.  
  
Strelitzia stood up, gaining Lillie's attention. "Well then, who says we gotta wait for 'em? Let's just train  _together_! You and me, Big Sis!" Lillie blinked at her, "...You mean, you wanna fight my Mareanie?" Strelitzia nodded, "Yeah! Totally! Chansey and I are really strong now!" Lillie smiled softly, turning her head away from Strelitzia before standing up as well. She smirked, "Alright then, Zi. Let's see what Chansey's got up her sleeves." Strelitzia nodded, calling over her Chansey and Lillie's Mareanie.  
  
"C'mon you guys! We're gonna get some practice in!" she beamed. Chansey got up, waddling over to it's trainer excitedly as Mareanie hopped it's way up to Lillie. They both prepared themselves quickly, spreading themselves apart from each other a satisfying amount. "Ready Mareanie?" Lillie asked. Mareanie nodded, getting into position for battle. Strelitzia's blood was already pumping, excited to go against her idol once again. She yelled out to her, "Ready, Big Sis?!"  
  
Lillie nodded, pointing her Mareanie towards it's target, "Mareanie, start us off with Toxic!" Mareanie released a toxic gas from it's pores, surrounding the Chansey with it. Sure enough, it was left sick as it's face turned blue. It coughed, "Ch-chans...!" Strelitzia winced a bit, but she didn't let the set up deter her from focusing. "Chansey, hide yourself with Minimize!" Chansey nodded, and both Lillie and Mareanie both were taken aback as the Chansey shrunk down a bit. Or at least...it  _seemed_ to have.  
  
"Minimize?" Lillie asked. Strelitzia nodded, "It's a new move she learned! She can make herself smaller by compressing her body! It helps us avoid attacks more easily!" Lillie smirked, once again feeling that faint sense of pride. She crossed her arms, "Good trick, little sis. But it's gonna take a lot more than that to get around my Mareanie's attacks! Mareanie, use Venoshock!" The Mareanie spit a mass of purple and acidic liquid onto Chansey, who was able to roll out of the way just in time.  
  
The acidic poison killed the grass it was standing in previously. Chansey flinched as the poison began to take it's toll on it. "Double Slap!" Strelitzia commanded. Chansey rolled itself towards Mareanie, slapping the poisonous pokémon across the face 4 times before rolling backwards. Mareanie jumped back, now afflicted with bruises from the hits it had just taken. Still, it didn't seem to do enough to compensate for it's own deteriorating health. "Venoshock, again! Follow it's movements!" Lillie bellowed.  
  
Mareanie nodded, spraying the poisonous liquid again. This time, spraying it around a wide array as Chansey began to roll to avoid it. It was hit by a stray stream, and convulsed in pain at the burn of the liquid. It twitched, pulling itself up off the ground as it flinched in pain again. The attack seemed to take much more out of it than expected. Strelitzia was well aware of this affect. Most of Mareanie's attacks were increased in power once a target had been poisoned. Which meant she had to compensate with evasive maneuvers, and...  
  
"Venoshock, again!"  
  
"Dodge it, then use Soft-Boiled!"  
  
Mareanie sprayed another bout of acidic liquid in a horizontal arc. However, Chansey managed to dodge it, immediately steadying itself after it flinched from the poison again. The egg in it's pouch shot up into the air, and cracked open, releasing dust over it's body that healed it's wounds. Another egg immediately took it's place, poking out of it's pouch as if nothing happened. Lillie's eyes widened, blinking in utter confusion at the move. "What was  _that_?" she asked. She had never seen the Chansey use it's egg that way.  
  
"It's a special move Chansey learned! It can use the egg in it's pouch to heal itself. And it pretty much always replaces it!" Strelitzia explained. Lillie smirked, "Clever. But you still haven't healed the poison coursing through it. Which means my attacks will still pack  _quite_ the punch. That little healing trick won't do you good if I knock her out first." Lillie couldn't see it, but Strelitzia smirked smugly under her face mask. Her eyes said enough about her new confidence, though.  
  
"Then bring it~!" she challenged. Lillie snickered, "Mareanie, Venoshock!" Strelitzia called out to her own pokémon as Mareanie began firing it's attack again, "Minimize, again!" Once again, Chansey shrunk itself down a size smaller than it already was. This caused Mareanie's attack to completely miss as Chansey managed to roll out of the way of it's fire. Lillie pouted, flicking her hair back with her hand. "That size thing sure is annoying..." she muttered under her breath.  
  
She glanced at her Mareanie, observing the spikes on it's tentacles. Then, she remembered something. She smirked, "Alright then, Chansey. You wanna play hide and seek? Let's play~ Mareanie, target it and hit it with Spike Canon!" The Mareanie raised up it's tentacles, taking careful aim on the Chansey before it's spikes began firing from it's tentacles. They instantly regenerated as soon as they left it's limbs. It fired 4 shots, only 3 of them landing successfully, but 3 was more than enough.  
  
Chansey cried out in pain, not expecting the loophole to it's small size. It flinched once again, the poison having to restart it's course through it's veins. It coughed, glaring with determination at it's opponent now. Chansey was completely focused now, determined to win. "Chansey, hit it again with Take Down!" Strelitzia order. The Chansey nodded, curling itself into a ball and rolling itself into Mareanie with full force. Strangely enough it's size did not impede the strength of the blow.  
  
It rolled back, flinching as it took the drawback damage poorly. Mareanie was left on the ground, pulling itself back up weakly with it's tentacles. It growled in annoyance. "Spike Canon, again!" Lillie commanded. Mareanie shot another round of spikes at Chansey, and all 5 shots missed completely as it rolled around to avoid them. Strelitzia nodded, basking in her continued victory, "Chansey, once more, with feeling! Use Take Down!" Chansey curled up again, rolling itself towards Mareanie.  
  
However, Mareanie, instead of attempting to dodge, lifted up it's tentacles. "Niiieee..." it grunted. Suddenly, it was consumed by a bright white light that nearly blinded both of the girls. It's tentacles, while seeming to thin out, also seemed to increase in size, creating what appeared to be a dome around it. It's transformation didn't take long to complete, and once the light faded, Chansey collided with it. The attack seemed to leave the newly evolved pokémon unscathed, while Chansey was the one left damaged.  
  
It rolled back a bit before landing on it's butt, looking up with confusion as it rubbed the new cut on itself. It was a dome of tentacles, they remained about the same in color. Light blue, and covered with incredibly sharp spikes. Each tentacle had 2 yellow claw-like extensions on either side of the strip-like tentacles. Atop it's head was a crown of yellow spikes surrounding a dark pink pattern that covered the top of it's head. The tentacles all protruded from it, gently pressed together.  
  
2 of it's front most tentacles peeled back and lifted up to reveal the inside. Each underside of it's tentacles was a dark blue, and had pink spikes that jutted out from them. It's main body had shrunk noticeably, dangling from it's position at the ceiling of the dome. It was dark purple, dark blue tipping the top where it's head met the crown that kept the tentacles together. It's eyes were much the same, as was it's general face. And it's lower body was small, with triangular protrusions resembling tears extending all around it.  
  
It looked much more frightening, and much,  _much_ more deadly. Strelitzia gasped in excitement. "Oh my gosh, it finally evolved into a Toxapex! Man, they really  _are_ much spikier than Mareanie!" she chirped. Lillie was still left confused by the move it just performed. Perhaps she could ask Plumeria about it later. She  _was_ an expert in Poison Types, after all. "It learned a new move too...what  _was_ that?" she wondered. Strelitzia shook her head, trying to regain her focus.  
  
"I dunno! But I'm totally gonna get you for that! Chansey, use Double Slap!" Strelitzia commanded. Chansey nodded, picking itself back up to carry out the order. It was interrupted by the pain that coursed through it from the poison. Lillie pointed towards Chansey, "Quick, use Venoshock while it's distracted!" Toxapex shot another large splash of acidic liquid at the Chansey. This time, however, it seemed able to spit up a bit more than it was before. Once again, the hit was critical from it's ability and the poisoned condition of the Chansey.  
  
Miraculously, the move did not do Chansey in just yet. Strelitzia sighed with relief, before she began her next order. "Chansey, heal yourself again with Sof-" she wasn't able to finish her command as the poison took the last bit of energy out of Chansey. It winced in pain, coughing and hacking as it curled in on itself painfully. Then, it tumbled backwards onto it's back as it's eyes rolled around in it's head. It had completely lost consciousness. Strelitzia blinked in shock, unable to process her loss for a moment.  
  
Eventually, she managed to snap out of it as Toxapex hissed victoriously. Lillie walked over to her newly evolved pokémon, carefully handing it a pokébean that it snatched up with one of it's tentacles to stuff into it's mouth. After it was finished, she healed up it's wounds with sprays from her bag before approaching Strelitzia. "Good battle little sis. Here, take this," she offered a Pecha Berry, which Strelitzia gladly took. "Sorry I had to be so rough on you. But hey, that trick of yours was pretty good," she praised.  
  
Strelitzia nodded, her eyes sparkling as she called back her Chansey. She stood up, hugging Lillie tightly. "Thanks, Big Sis! That sure does mean a lot coming from you!" she cheered. Lillie rolled her eyes, patting Strelitzia's back as she nodded. She wasn't quite all that big on hugs still. "Alright alright, c'mon. Let's go back inside so you can heal your Chansey. I wanna ask Plumeria a couple questions about Toxapex anyways," she said. Strelitzia pulled herself off of Lillie, turning towards Po Town as they began walking together towards home.  
  
Toxapex shuffled along using it's tentacles. It's movement was only slightly delayed due to it's sticky ends, but it managed to keep up just fine. It kept it's front most tentacles up so it could see where it was going, it's tiny eyes scanning the land in front of it as it traversed along the path with it's trainer. Suddenly, Strelitzia seemed to remember something. She turned her head to look at Lillie, prompting the blonde haired princess's attention immediately.  
  
"Hey, Big Sis, could you do my make up?"  
  
"Depends. What look are you going for?"  


* * *

  
Yet another training session had concluded as the boys noticed how late it was getting. They were quick to pack up and put their clothes back on over their swim wear, before heading off back for their motel room. Once they were home, they let all their pokémon in the parking lot to let them shake off all the sand that had gotten stuck in their fur. It didn't take them long to clean up, miraculously, each of them using their powers to speed up or help the process.  
  
Once they were cleaned, they were shuffled into the room, the boys following inside behind them. Hau pulled out his hair clips, wrapping his still-wet hair in a towel before he sat down on the bed. Despite his efforts to wait out his shorts getting dry, the bed sheets were still left damp. He pouted, "Ugh, figures they still aren't dry." Gladion chuckled from the bathroom. "It was inevitable, mon cher~" he snickered. Hau rolled his eyes, patiently flipping through the translation book absently as he waited for Gladion to finish.  
  
He had been meaning to look through it since he rented it, but he hadn't quite had enough time yet. Now was as good an opportunity as any. He was paying so little attention, he was caught off-guard when he landed on the "Romantic Phrases" section of the book. He glossed over it, almost purposefully so. One phrase he had recognized Gladion reciting before was "Embrasse moi". He read along the line that pointed him to the translation.   
  
"'Embrace me, can also be interpreted as...'" his face went read as he pause. He finished the sentence mentally rather than verbally. ' _Kiss me'..._ he read in his head. He pouted slightly, knowing he definitely couldn't show his boyfriend this section. He'd have Hau absolutely defenseless at far too many turns. He kept on reading, spotting yet another phrase Gladion had mentioned.  _Je t’aime means..._ he was frozen completely, even in his thoughts. His memory of the night before played back in his head.  
  
_"Wau ia 'oe, Gladion..."_  
  
These words weren't meaningless, but they definitely didn't mean anything to the older boy. How could they? And in this same way, the words "Je t'aime"  _also_ meant nothing. But now, they meant far too much. Finally, he managed to read it to himself in his own head as his hands clenched up.  _'I love you'_ he thought, his face tensing at just the mere thought. It seemed he was unable to escape the cursed words. Was it just a sign from some deity out there that he should be more honest?  
  
No, the situation hadn't changed. Now wasn't the time. Even if it was the truth, he had to keep it to himself. He couldn't bear it if he scared Gladion off by being to brash. Suddenly, the older boy's voice snapped him out of it. "Hau? Are you ok?" he asked. Hau's face went red as he immediately slammed the book shut and sweat profusely. He chuckled nervously, making it a point not to look his boyfriend in the eye. "Oh hahaha~! Did I space out? Sorry, these words are just so funny!" he sputtered.  
  
Gladion tilted his head, getting the aching feeling something was up. Still, he wasn't really interested in cornering Hau like a wild animal. Besides, he would say something if he was bothered, right? They had both shared so much with each other already. What was there to hide from him? He sat beside him, smiling to hide his worries. "Kaloch isn't funny, it's sophisticated.  _Alolan_ is funny," he teased. Hau pouted at this, "It is  _not_! It's totally just as elegant!"  
  
Gladion smirked, leaning in close to Hau's face, "Is that so~?" Hau was left defenseless again as he shivered under his boyfriend's breath. He didn't bother answering, leaning his face up to kiss him. His thoughts were still swirling with all sorts of fears and doubts. Fears and doubts he couldn't possibly burden Gladion with right now. Gladion in turn was also apprehensive inside his own head. Hoping and fearing at the same time.  
  
Hoping that Hau would remain open to him. Fearing that he had upset him. As Gladion pushed him onto the bed and they wrapped their arms around each other, their burdens kept on festering. And they were both blindly oblivious to it. Right now, they only wanted to see through the lenses of their affection. The kiss ended after a long minute, before they began their usual nightly routine of gazing at each other and whispering flirtatiously. Their pokémon stared at them, Torracat once again shaking it's head as if they were acting predictable.  
  
They still had  _much_ to learn.


	46. Chapter 45 - Friends In Unlikely Places

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys set out to reach the Hokulani Observatory at the peak of Mount Hokulani. However, they find they are being followed by a rather _unexpected_ secret admirer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> __  
>  **2000 HITS OMG THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH~♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥**   
> 

The boys had gotten up much earlier that morning. Their journey would be much longer, and would definitely need more time. Especially considering Gladion preferred to not take the Charizard taxi. Of course, this meant they were much groggier. And their pokémon had to make sure they stayed awake long enough to get themselves ready. A few shocks from Pikachu and a couple of screeches from Golbat and Noibat later, they were wide awake as ever, though completely flustered.  
  
Yet again was the blonde's bangs tangled during their sleep. After Hau finished changing his clothes, he brushed it out as was normal by now. Once he was done, he gently brushed them out of his boyfriend's face to look at him. "You know, you could always just clip it to keep it back, alola," he suggested. Gladion smirked smugly, "You just want an excuse to look at my face." Hau giggled, putting away the brush in a drawer, "Is that so bad~?"  
  
"Then quit wearing  _your_ hair up so I can play with it."  
  
"Nuh uh! No way~!"  
  
"Why? Is that  _so_ bad~?"  
  
"No fair! You can't use my words against me!"  
  
"I just did. Deal with it~."  
  
Hau rolled his eyes, grabbing Gladion's hoodie strings to pull him closer as he captured his lips in a brief and chaste kiss. It had the older boy melted in mere seconds as his face went red and he blinked frantically. He pouted, crossing his arms as he looked away indignantly, "N...No fair..." Hau giggled again, "You said to deal with it, k'ou alola. You should be careful what you wish for, you know." Hau walked past him, calling back all his pokémon save for his Noibat.  
  
"Oh, you're leaving Noibat out today?" Gladion asked. Hau nodded as he began packing bag with the pokéballs he had just used. "Yeah, it's been a while since he's gotten to take a walk. Hey, why don't you leave Golbat out? She and Noibat probably work really well together, after all," he suggested. Gladion glanced at his Golbat, who was still lined up, waiting to be called back. The older boy proceeded to call back his own pokémon, making it a point to leave Golbat out.   
  
Golbat smiled joyfully, as it flew towards it's mate instantly with excitement. Noibat screeched excitedly, as they began flying around each other in a slight dance of joy. The older boy put his own pokéballs away in his satchel, quickly wrapping it around himself before taking Hau's hand. "So, where to, mon cher?" he asked. Hau lead him out the door, their bats fleeing to the skies to freely play as they followed their masters. "The Hokulani Observatory, it's at the top of Mount Hokulani," he explained.  
  
"That sounds really far. Good thing we got up early, I suppose," he muttered. The blonde turned his head, noticing the street lead towards North as well. He turned and pointed to get Hau's attention, "Mon cher, what about what's up that way?" Hau rubbed the back of his neck, "Oh, that's just a Recycling Center. We can check it out some other time if you're really curious, though." Gladion shook his head, "Nah. I was just wondering. So how do we get up to the Observatory anyways?"  
  
"We go South from here and then take a right onto Route 10," he explained. Gladion nodded in understanding. The bats flew high up, though they weren't out of view. They were dangerously close to being dots, though. Gladion reached into his satchel bag, pulling out one of the poetry books he had rented and flipping it open to read. Of course, he kept his other hand around Hau's to ensure he didn't bump into anything or wander off into the wrong place.  
  
"You enjoying your book, Hanini?" Hau asked. Gladion blushed a bit at the question. But nevertheless, he wasn't too embarrassed to respond. "Mm. It's almost addicting to read these," he admitted. Hau chuckled, "I usually don't get them most of the time, but I bet you probably think really deep about poetry, huh?" The older boy's blush got brighter, "M-Maybe a little. It's just an interesting way to focus my thoughts." A thought occurred to Hau as his smile suddenly faded.  
  
"Say, have you ever  _written_ poetry before?" he asked. Gladion blinked at him, "What?" Hau smiled nervously as he sweat a bit, "Wh-what I mean to say is...have you ever put your thoughts down in a poem?" The question made the gears in Gladion's head turn. He wondered how the idea never occurred to him before. Then again, most of his life up to this point had been a constant focus on avoiding danger. He shook his head, "N-No, actually. I never really thought of doing something like that."  
  
"Really? Why don't you try it when we get home tonight?" he said, smiling again. Gladion stared at him in bewilderment. "You really think I'd be any good at it?" the older boy asked. Hau nodded, "Well, yeah! I'd probably read it." Gladion couldn't help but smile shyly. He turned his eyes back down at his book as he began to focus on it again. His eyes landed on the next page as he finished the one he had been on since Hau had distracted him. And silently, he read it's contents with increasing tensity.  
  
_I became an island challenge champion  
And wanted to show my vaunted skills  
In a far-off region.  
Both those city trainers were strong...  
So, as Champion,  
If I had just passed the time peacefully,  
I wouldn't have had to suffer so much,  
I say, cursing myself, but I want to  
Leave my claw marks on the world—  
Today, too, I'll be pushed by my partner  
To exact revenge for yesterday  
Rise with my remaining strength...  
  
Yes, springing from Alola..._  
  
It didn't go un-noticed when his grip on Hau's hand tightened. The older boy wasn't sure why this passage made him so uneasy. But he didn't have much time to think about it as he suddenly noticed the sound of flapping wings. He looked up and noticed Hau's Noibat was flying low with it's eyes closed. It's ears seemed to vibrate strangely. Suddenly, the boys both stopped as they heard a twig snap behind them. They spun around, focusing on a particular patch of grass with a couple bushes and a single tree.  
  
Noibat's eyes had shot open and it was now staring at the source of the sound. It flew closer to investigate, but seemed to find nothing. It returned to it's master, though still weary, which prompted the boys to continue. But it barely took a minute before the older boy felt a chill up his spine. He suddenly stopped himself again. He turned himself around, and was frozen with shock at what he found. Just a few feet away from him was a small black and blue pokémon that resembled a jackal.  
  
2 horn-like small appendages that resembled ears stuck out of it's head on either side. It's eyes were surrounded with a black mask-like marking that stretched across the top of it's muzzle and around it's nose, from which, 2 long black appendages hung on either side. It's eyes were a vibrant red color and around it's neck was a gold collar. While most of it's body was blue, it's upper torso had a black patch on it, and it's legs were completely black as well. Each of it's forepaws had a white bump on them and it's tail was thick and short.  
  
Right away, just from looking at it, the most odd detail was that this creature appeared to stand on it's toes rather than balancing itself on it's heels. They both blinked at it curiously, and it blinked back. It wasn't moving, but it also didn't appear to be hostile. Gladion's face turned sheepish, "What pokémon is  _that_?" Hau tilted his head, raising a brow at it. "Hmm...I don't recognize it. Try using the Pokédex app on the tablet," he suggested. The blonde pulled out the tablet, quickly opening the Pokédex to scan the creature as it stood still.  
  
"Scanning..." a robotic voice called from the speakers. It beeped as a picture displayed on screen of the pokémon they had encountered. "Pokémon identified: Riolu, a Fighting Type pokémon," it declared. Gladion looked up from the tablet, surprised to see the pokémon was still standing there. "Riolu, huh?" he muttered. Hau smiled and looked up at his boyfriend, "Hey! Maybe you should catch it! Try using a Quick Ball!" Gladion raised a brow at him, "Are you sure?"  
  
"Well, you still only have 4 pokémon. Maybe this one would be good to add to your team!" Hau insisted. Gladion was still unsure, but as he put the tablet back into his bag, he reached for the empty Quick Ball he still had. Without breaking eye contact with the Riolu, he pulled it out. The Riolu's eyes widened, and it instantly fled behind the tree. The boys blinked in confusion. "Oh, geez, maybe we should've distracted it first. It ran away," Hau pouted. However, Gladion ignored this as he stared at the tree.  
  
Slowly, he put the ball back into his bag, but he didn't turn around. After a minute of waiting, the Riolu poked it's head out from behind the tree and stared at them. "Oh! It came back!" Hau cried. Gladion put his arm in front of him, "Wait." Hau blinked at him in confusion, "Huh?" They didn't move for another minute, and slowly, the Riolu emerged from behind the tree until it was completely visible. However, it didn't step closer to them. The blonde reached into his bag again and pulled out the Quick Ball.  
  
And once again, the startled Riolu hid behind the tree. Hau tilted his head, not understanding what Gladion was doing. Gladion straightened his stance, putting the ball back into his bag. "Just as I thought..." he muttered. Hau gave him a quizzical look, "What?" Gladion looked down at him, "It doesn't wanna be caught, but it is interested in us. I think we should just leave it be for now. It's not interested in conflict." Hau let out a "Ohhhhh!" as it suddenly clicked with him.  
  
He hugged Gladion's arm, turning them around to keep going on their route to Route 10. "Alright then, let's keep going," he said. Noibat and Golbat both understood their masters wishes, but continued to fly low and keep their eye on the Riolu as it began to follow the boys again from a safe distance. Once they got onto Route 10, they began to focus themselves in preparation for any wild pokémon. Any time they were jumped at or a trainer passed, the Riolu ducked to hide, but watched carefully still from afar.  
  
If Gladion's experiment before wasn't conclusive enough, it's behavior had all but settled it. It wasn't interested in confrontation. After a while, Noibat and Golbat were forced to let their guard down about the creature in favor of focusing on defending their masters. They kept on their trail, not letting anything stop them or slow them down for too long. It was almost impressive how quickly they managed to traverse the path. However, at the end lay a strange sign that Hau read aloud.  
  
"Bus...Stop. Oh! We have to ride a bus up to the top?" Hau pondered. Gladion sighed in slight relief. "Well, at least we don't have to walk there, for  _once_ ," he muttered. Gladion glanced behind him again to check on the Riolu. Once again, it was hidden behind a tree. It raised a curious brow from the blonde as he looked around to see what might have had it so spooked. Then, his eyes landed on a couple that looked oddly out of place. And at first, he admittedly panicked.  
  
The most noticeable of the two was a girl that could've easily passed for a Skull Gang grunt. She had many unnecessary piercings, most of which were spikes. It was a rather tacky look, especially coupled together with her clothes that were somehow both dark as a cave and vibrant as a highlighter at the same time. Her dyed hair was black with several highlights of yellow, red, and purple. Her overall look was clearly in the punk fashion. She looked to be one bad day away from cracking and joining with Guzma and his crew.  
  
Next to her was a boy that was a bit taller than her, and a bit lanky. He was skinny, and very weak looking. He had large and round glasses, and short, curly brown hair. His attire screamed "Astute nerd" with a plaid vest over a white long sleeved collared shirt, and beige khakis, along with dull brown loafers over his blank, white socks. Truly, it was a display of a couple of polar opposites. Suddenly, the girl who was in the midst of blowing a bubble with her gum locked eyes with Gladion.  
  
He shivered uncomfortably under her nasty glare. Slowly, her bubble inflated until it popped, causing him to flinch. She sucked in the remains, before spitting it out into the grass. The brown-haired boy noticed this and whimpered worriedly. She stepped towards the blonde, grabbing the boy's wrist to drag him along with her. The boy cried out in protest, but his pleas were ignored. Eventually Hau noticed them as they approached, the girl not letting off her grip of the boy even as they stopped.  
  
" _You_ , with the funny haircut."  
  
Gladion blinked nervously, hugging Hau's arm as he kept eye contact, "Y-You mean  _me_?" The girl glared in annoyance, "Yeah  _you_! I saw you givin' my boyfriend that snobby look! You makin' fun of 'im?!" Hau didn't understand what was happening anymore than Gladion did. Still, he decided he had to defuse this before it got out of hand. He held up his free hand as he smiled nervously, "H-Hey. Let's all just calm down and-" The girl interrupted him, "You sayin' I ain't calm, short stuff?!"  
  
"S-Sweetie,  _please_!" the boy interjected, "I'm sure he didn't mean any harm by it. Why don't we just-"  
  
"This is why everybody always steps on ya, Peter. Ya gotta learn to stick up for yaself!"  
  
"Th-then shouldn't  _I_ be doing the talking?"  
  
"No, you suck at talkin'. I'll do the talkin'."  
  
Gladion was starting to pray for the bus to arrive soon. "H-Hey, look, I'm sorry if I offended anyone, alright? I was just...admiring the scenery is all," he lied. The girl suddenly pulled out a pokéball, pushing the button on it to increase it's size. "Too late for that bub. Stick 'em up! We're havin' a battle!" she challenged. The older boy was just becoming more and more nervous, "I really don't think-" Hau pouted, glaring at her as he pulled Gladion closer to him. "Lay off, you jerk! He said he was sorry!" he shouted.  
  
"You want some too? Fine. Peter, take out your pokémon. We're doin' doubles."  
  
"But I don't want-"  
  
"Pull it out, Peter!"  
  
"Y-Yes ma'am!"  
  
The boy whispered a half-heartedly apology in their direction as he pulled out his own pokéball. Hau smirked, "Heh, even with your boyfriend's help you don't stand a chance!" Gladion glanced at him tiredly. "Please don't make this worse..." he muttered. "By the way," the girl started, grabbing their attentions once again. "Well, it'd just be plain rude not to introduce ourselves. I'm Lois, and this is Peter. And you two are dead  _meat_ ," she spat, tossing her pokéball into the air to call out her pokémon.  
  
Peter tripped as he threw out his own pokéball, only being saved as Lois caught him by the back of his collar. His thanks was met with another scold as her face flushed. From each of their pokéballs emerged a gooey pokémon that was dripping with acid, and a large lemur-like creature that despite appearing to be bipedal stood on all fours, a strange fruit under one of it's hands. Gladion pouted, "Well, I guess we're doing  _this_ now..." The boys called down their bat pokémon, who quickly readied themselves for their opponents.  
  
"Goodra, hit blondie's Golbat with Dragon Pulse!"  
  
"P-Passiman, Beat Up on the Noibat!"  
  
The Goodra charged up a purple beam as Passiman jumped up to land a punch on the Noibat. Gladion was the first to act, "Dodge it, then use Poison Fang!" Golbat heeded this order, dodging the purple beam of energy the Goodra shot from it's mouth. It dived down towards the Goodra, sinking it's teeth into it's sticky flesh as it inserted it's venom into it's veins. Hau wasn't as quick to the draw unfortunately, as the Noibat was hit by the Passiman's blow. It was sent flying back, but it managed to shake it off.  
  
The blow barely did much damage. "Noibat, use Agility!" The Noibat relaxed it's muscles, lightening it's body as it's speed increased 2 fold. It screeched in succession, it's movements much faster than they were before. However, it's mate seemed to be much the opposite, as it released it's hold on the Goodra. It's movements were slightly slower, it's flapping seemed struggled and strained. Upon closer inspection, the cause was some obvious residue of the gooey creature's body.  
  
Gladion winced in aggravation, but he didn't let it distract him. He just had to be more careful from now on. Lois laughed mockingly, "Your Golbat's in a pretty  _sticky_ situation, isn't it? Nice goin'  _genius_!" Hau rolled his eyes, "Whatever, your boyfriend's move barely scathed me." Peter readjusted his glasses nervously as Lois shot him a huffy glare as she blushed again. "Peteeerrr, you have so many more powerful moves! Why'd you start with  _that_ one?!" she snapped.  
  
"It's just, I-I didn't wanna steal y-your spotlight, dear. You're a lot more powerful and I'm more...t-tactition," he stuttered. She smirked flirtatiously, "Awww, thanks Petey~! Here, I'll give ya a  _real_ show." She looked towards Gladion's Golbat again, "Goodra, aim for that there Golbat again and use Power Whip!" Golbat was unable to dodge as the Goodra's arms became large vines that extended from it's body and slapped it with extreme force. It was knocked down towards the ground, bruised up quite a bit.  
  
However, it's resistance to the Grass Type move helped soften the blow. It slowly pulled itself back up, it's flaps still delayed by the goo of the pokémon's residue. "Keep your distance, use Air Slash!" Gladion commanded. Golbat cut into the air with it's wings, causing shockwaves that flew in Goodra's direction and landed a critical hit. "Hey! No fair!" Lois pouted. Peter readjusted his glasses again, "Don't worry dear, I've got this. Passiman, Fling your hard stone at the Golbat!"   
  
Passiman reared up, clenching it's other hand into a fist as it winded back it's arm. "Noibat, quick, target that Passiman with Super Fang!" Hau shouted. Noibat swooped down, biting down harshly into the Passiman and causing it to flinch and completely abandon it's attack. The attack left it incredibly more hurt than it anticipated, and it breathed heavily with exhaustion as soon as Noibat released it's grip on it. Gladion smiled at Hau, "Thanks, mon cher." Hau gave him a thumbs up as he winked, "No problem, alola~!"  
  
Lois fumed, her face turning red as she pouted even harder, "Don't bully my dork! Goodra, use Rain Dance!" Goodra began swaying in a wavy dance as clouds began rolling into the sky. Then, without warning, rain began to pour down from the skies. Hau frowned, "Awww man! I don't have an umbrella!" Gladion raised a brow at her, but decided his time was better spent attacking then commenting on the strange move. "Golbat, Air Slash, again!" he ordered.  
  
"Goodra, Muddy Water!" Lois commanded. From seemingly nowhere, a large wave of dirty and muddied water manifested as the Goodra raised up it's arms. Then, as it brought them down, the wave came crashing against both the bats, also soaking the boys completely where the rain hadn't already. Hau coughed once the attack had passed and Gladion called out to him worriedly. "H-Hau, are you alright?" Hau nodded, "Yeah. Just wasn't expecting it. What  _was_ that?"  
  
Lois giggled, "Ya fell  _right_ inta my trap! Water Type moves are  _real_ powerful when it's rainin', y'see?" The boys looked up and noticed both their bats were no longer in the air, instead laying on the ground completely soaked. They were both considerably exhausted by the move, but it wasn't enough to knock them out. They both managed to pull themselves up. Golbat shook it's head, it's eyes stinging with the filth that was in the water. "Shoot..." Gladion hissed under his breath.  
  
"Passiman, u-use Fling again, aim for the Noibat this time!" Peter commanded. Passiman winded back it's arm, making it a point to move much quicker this time before it could be interrupted. Then, it lopped the stone in it's hand at the Noibat. Thanks to it's increased speed, it managed to dodge. Hau ducked as it flew over his head with a startled squeak. "W-Woops...!" Peter yelped. "Golbat, target the Passiman and heal yourself with Leech Life!" Gladion commanded.  
  
The Golbat swooped down, biting into the Passiman and sucking the life out of it. Hau turned his attention towards Goodra. He knew it was their biggest problem, and he had to find a way to deal with it. Then he smirked as he got an idea. It was merely a stall, but it would most certainly help, "Noibat, confuse Goodra with Supersonic!" Noibat screeched, sending a wave of an odd sound that rattled the Goodra's break and cause it's eyes to roll around in it's head. It swayed and convulsed in utter chaos.  
  
"Aw crap!" Lois yelped. Hau pumped his fist in success, " _Yes_! Got it!" Golbat finally released it's hold on Passiman, it's wounds barely healed. Gladion blinked in confusion. He became worried when Peter once again readjusted his glasses and began snickering. "Nice try, but my Passiman is  _resistant_ to Bug Type moves," he admitted. Gladion winced again. "Passiman, target Golbat with Thrash!" Peter shouted, no longer stuttering nervously. For once, he seemed confident.  
  
"Golbat, dodge it!"  
  
Golbat tried as hard as it could, but it was unable to escape as the Passiman overwhelmed it with hit after hit of punches and kicks. It landed tiredly on the ground again, screeching in pain. At first, Gladion was worried it had been taken out, but it slowly lifted itself back up. Noibat flew down beside it on the ground, glaring up at it's opponents while helping it's mate stand on it's feet. Lois tried to ignore this, impatiently ordering her Goodra to attack, "Goodra, use Muddy Water again!"  
  
The Goodra tried to summon another wave of polluted water, but it just came crashing down onto itself, leaving it damaged. Lois huffed, "Not on  _yourself_ ya big palooka!" Passiman darted forward for the Golbat again, however, it was blocked by the Noibat who stood in it's way and took all the hits intended for it's mate. It crashed onto the ground a few feet from it's partner, severely damaged by the blows of the Passiman's attack. Golbat flew over to Noibat, helping it back up as the Noibat had done for it.  
  
Once it was stood back up, it screeched angrily at it's opponents. Hau and Gladion exchanged a glance before returning their attention to their opponents. Gladion pointed toward the Goodra, "Golbat, Air Slash, again!" Hau too pointed his pokémon towards the Goodra, "You too, Noibat! Use Super Fang!" Both bat pokémon managed to pull themselves into the air, each of them diving down towards the Goodra. The darkness casted by the rain clouds was pierced as they both glowed with a white light.  
  
The boys's eyes widened as they gasped. Their pokémon's form shifted, each growing in size. Golbat's ears grew out, and an extra set of wings grew out the lower side of it's back. It's stubbed feet shrunk, but grew claws to compensate. Noibat became much larger than it's mate, almost 4 times it's original size, in fact. It's wings extended, growing incredibly long as claws grew out the ends at the top. The fur around it's neck became fluffier, and it's speaker-like ears grew even larger.  
  
It's legs grew longer as well, growing longer claws. A long tail that was spiked at it's end extended out of it's body as a final addition. The light faded as both pokémon carried out their attacks with a bit more power behind them. Goodra was knocked onto it's back, completely overwhelmed by the double whammy. It's eyes swirled, indicating that it had fainted. Lois cried out in shock and disbelief, running over to her dripping friend with worry stamped all over her face.  
  
"Goodra! Holy crap, what have they done to ya?!" she cried. Peter stared at the two bats, completely taken aback by their terrifying new appearances. It's skin had turned purple, while the skin inside it's wings had become blue in an inverse of color. It seemed it was no longer struggling to close it's mouth as it bit it's lower lip and showed off it's teeth. The scelra in it's eyes had become yellow, while it's irises brightened to a blood red. It's ears were now long and pointy, and it's feet were much tinier.  
  
Noibat's new form however was much more different from it's original look. It's fur had turned primarily black, it's own colors inversing upon evolution as well. It's lower jaw was a patch of deep purple that extended down it's underbelly and under it's tail. It maintained it's yellow eyes, on either side of it's large, V-shaped, red snout. It's speaker-like ears now had a minty green color to it's interiors with black rings alternating between the vibrant color. The fur on it's neck was white and covering up most of it's neck.  
  
It's long, gargantuan wings were decorated with matching purple skin on their interiors. Each one having 3 red claws that stuck out at the ends at the top. Attached to each wing as well was a flap of mint green skin that matched it's ears. It's long legs had 3 claws, 2 of which on each foot had red bumps on the top. It's spiky tail lashed with anger as it glared down it's remaining opponent, the Passiman. Peter had sunken right back into his shy and nerve-wracked persona for a moment.   
  
Until that is, he heard his girlfriend sobbing with defeat. A new flame had been ignited in him as he returned to his confident demeanor. "Th-that was a big mistake, fellas! Passiman, hit that Crobat with your Thrash, again!" he shouted. Passiman leapt up towards the aforementioned Crobat to hit it again, and Lois was left silently star-struck. Luckily however, Hau's pokémon was quick to act yet again as it used it's wings to block the attack off to protect it's mate.   
  
Of course, the hits still hurt it, but it was determined to endure it for the sake of it's mate  _and_ it's trainer. Once Passiman had finished it's assault, it heaved heavily as it began to sway. It had exhausted itself so much it could no longer tell up from down as it had confused itself. "Uh oh!" Peter yelped. "Crobat, Poison Fang!" Gladion commanded. Hau nodded, pointing his pokémon towards Passiman as well, "Super Fang!" Both bat pokémon bit into the Passiman, but were confused to find goo seeping out of it's fur.  
  
They both pulled back, their movements slowed by the goop on their wings. Both boys raised a brow at this, to which Peter simply smirked again. "Nice try, but I'm afraid your victory came with a cost. My Passiman picks up the Special Ability of an ally that's defeated and uses it for itself!" he explained. Gladion winced again, grunting in annoyance. However, Hau snapped him out of it as he called to him, "Hey, Hanini." The blonde glanced at his boyfriend curiously.  
  
"You can use it...I'll just get it back when you've made your move," he whispered. It took the older boy a moment to understand what he was saying, but then he realized it. He nodded before turning his head up to look at his Crobat. "Crobat, use Haze!" he shouted. Crobat began releasing a black smoggy gas from it's mouth that brushed against all 3 pokémon. Suddenly, the goop melted off of both Hau's pokémon and Crobat and while Crobat's movements sped up, Hau's pokémon slowed down a bit more.  
  
"Get back your speed with Agility!" Hau ordered. His pokémon once again lightened itself, in turn increasing it's speed 2 fold. Peter tried hopelessly to get his pokémon to attack, "Passiman, use Close Combat on Crobat!" Miraculously, Passiman managed to focus itself long enough to land the hit, but the Crobat endured. Stars appeared in Lois's eyes as she swooned. "What a hunk~!" she sighed. "Crobat, Air Slash!" Gladion shouted. Peter gulped, taking a step back nervously.  
  
Crobat slashed into the air again, sending more shock waves into the Passiman that sent it flying backwards. The attack was incredibly powerful much to both Crobat and Gladion's surprise. However, the Passiman wasn't out just yet. Hau was left to make the finishing blow. "Finish it off with one last Super Fang!" Hau shouted, grinning excitedly. With one last chomp of it's teeth, Hau's pokémon finally rendered the Passiman completely unconscious from exhaustion.  
  
Peter rushed to his pokémon's side, and slumped when he found it was no use. The boys grinned excitedly, embracing each other as they laughed. No one had noticed that the rain clouds had passed and the rain had stopped a long time ago. Peter looked up when he heard foot steps approaching him. From above him, he could see Lois's expectant stare. He looked down apprehensively, nervously tapping his index fingers together. "S-Sorry, dear. I'll try to do better next ti-"  
  
He was cut off as she pulled him to his feet by his collar. She didn't say anything, merely kissing him on the lips for a good long minute before she pushed him off. She put her hands on her hips, huffing indignantly as she looked away from him and pouted. "You're such a hopeless dork...but you were pretty hot back there," she admitted, her face red with embarrassment. His own face turned red as he readjusted his glasses yet again. He became a stuttering mess again as she simply smirked at him while he was distracted.  
  
The boys paid them no mind, quickly getting to work healing their pokémon and praising them for their good work. Once they were finished however, they both took a step back as the couple approached them again, Hau hugging Gladion's arm defensively. Lois pouted, before huffing again, "Look, I'm  _sorry_ , alright? I just get a little heated sometimes. You two were pretty kickass, I'll admit." Peter nodded, "Indeed, that's quite the duo you've got there. It's almost like they're soulmates."  
  
Hau glanced at Gladion, waiting for him to speak. But Gladion just snickered. "You know, funny you should mention it, actually," he snorted. Lois looked over Hau's pokémon with starry eyes, "Man, what a beauty! A real nice Noivern ya got here!" Hau looked up at it curiously, "Is that what it's called? Huh. It  _is_ pretty cool." Lois smiled a genuine smile for the first time since they encountered her, "Y'know, you could probably ride on it if ya bought some ridin' gear."  
  
"I could?" Hau asked, looking at her with curious eyes. Gladion groaned, "Don't give him ideas..." Peter snickered, snorting grossly as he laughed, "You should've seen her catapult idea. Quite the mess it was~!" Lois punched his arm as he continued to laugh, huffing furiously. "Peter! I thought we agreed that neva' happened!" she fumed. The moment was broken as they all heard the horn of a bus. They all looked up and noticed the bus they had been waiting for come to their stop.  
  
"Looks like our ride is here."  
  
Hau blinked at them, "Oh, you guys are going to the Observatory too?"   
  
Lois snorted, "As  _if_ , we ain't no trial-goers! We're goin' up for the view! We hear there's a rumor they buildin' somethin' on Lanakila, and since ya can't go up there cause 'a security, people are sayin' if you go to the top of Hokulani, you can see what they buildin'!"  
  
Hau's eyes sparkled with wonder, "Really?! We gotta get up there, Hanini! C'mon, let's go!" The boys called their pokémon back into their pokéballs, boarding onto the bus with the odd couple. Gladion glanced out the window to look for the Riolu, but it was no longer behind the tree where he had left it. However, just a few moments later, he could see a pair of black paws dangling in front of the window. He smiled bemusingly, pulling out his poetry book to pass the time of the ride up.  
  
Today was certainly going to be interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wuzzat? Who dat boi?  
> Is dat a Riolu I detecc??  
> And he a precious boi? >w>
> 
> Btw Lois and Peter are based on a Relationship Dynamic meme I saw and I thought was just too cute. (Also totally not a bad Family Guy reference in naming conventions haha)
> 
> Also, wow, this is the first chapter since like...what, the Prologue that you ain't cut away to some other thing happenin', Saucy?   
> -w-


	47. Chapter 46 - Blink And You'll Miss Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hau takes his next trial with Sophocles as Lillie and Strelitzia finally come across a dumb soul brave enough to challenge their authority.

It only took a few minutes to reach the top, though the twists and turns did leave Lois a little carsick. Thankfully, she had her beloved to give her supportive pats on the back. All the while, Hau tried his best to have friendly conversation with them while his boyfriend quietly read his book. Riolu's paws still hung over his window the whole ride, and they didn't move. However, once the bus stopped, they were gone again. The older boy was left to assume it had fled to a hiding spot.  
  
They all piled out of the bus quickly, Lois being the most eager to get off. She still needed a few minutes to catch her breath. Gladion put his book away, searching around the area for the Riolu. Luckily, his eyes landed on it's familiar tail poking out from behind the Pokémon Center. When he turned around to check on Hau, he noticed the bus had already driven off. Lois stood up straight, clearing her throat and seeming rejuvenated. Hau beamed at her, "You feeling ok now?"  
  
"Yeah! Never better!"  
  
"Man, th-this place is p-pretty high up!" Peter stuttered.  
  
"Don't be such a pansy, dear. C'mon, we've got a nice view to find~!"  
  
Peter readjusted his glasses, scanning the area carefully before he pointed. "O-Over there, sweetie. I think I see the peak of Lanakila," he pointed out. The boys followed the pair as they approached the railing that kept them from falling over the ledge. The view was spectacular, unlike anything any of the children had ever seen in their lives. They could easily see the tip of Lanakila from where they were. However, the construction at the top, while visible, was incredible difficult to make out.  
  
Even for those of them who  _didn't_ require glasses to see. Of course, this in no way muddied their absolute awe at the spectacle. Hau was beaming with excitement as always, and the older boy's mouth nearly dropped to the pavement. Lois pouted after a minute or so, "Darn! I was hopin' I could see better!" Peter readjusted his glasses again, snickering smugly. "This is why we  _always_ come prepared." He pulled out a telescope from his backpack, extending it just before he handed it over to her.  
  
She smiled as she gasped in shock. "Awww, puddin', you think of everythin', don't ya?" she cooed, taking the telescope and looking through it to get a better look at the site. After a few mere seconds, she gasped and took the telescope off her face, "Holy crap! I think they're buildin' a  _League_ up there!" Hau's eyes widened as he snapped out of his enamored state. "W-Wait,  _really_?!" he yelped. Gladion raised a brow at this, "What's...a League?"  
  
"It's this thing that other regions do. You know what Gyms are already, right?" Hau asked.  
  
"I think so. I remember my mother mentioning them once."  
  
"Usually, in other regions, a trainer goes to 8 different gyms and has to get badges from them. Then, when they've done that, they go to a League to face off against the region's best trainers known as The Elite 4. And then, when you defeat them all, you fight the Champion for their title."  
  
"But there aren't Gyms in Alola. Why would they build a League?"  
  
"Your guess is as good as mine. Moon  _did_ say she wanted to be a Champion...did she know about this?"  
  
Lois turned to look at Peter with starry eyes. She was grinning with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Babe, we just  _gotta_ enter this thing!" Peter's face turned sheepish as he readjusted his glasses again. "But, don't you need  _badges_ to enter a League?" Peter asked. Lois crossed her arms in thought, "Hmmm, that  _is_ true. Maybe they're just collectin' stamps from Grand Trials instead!" Hau blinked at this. If that were true, he was most certainly eligible to participate in the League.  
  
"B-But we're still short a few stamps if that's the case. We'd have to start our trials right away if we wanna get there by the time it's finished!" Peter stammered. The glint returned to Lois's eyes as she smirked, grabbing Peter's wrist to drag him along. "C'mon Peter, we've got some work to do!" she declared. Hau waved to them with a smile, "G-Good luck you guys! It was nice meeting you!" Gladion waved as well, quietly pitying Peter as he was dragged off down the road that lead back to the bottom of Hokulani.  
  
Gladion turned around again, noticing that Riolu was sat on a rock in a small pen that took up the middle of the area. The boys wondered if perhaps it was for pokémon to play around in. Gladion turned his head to look at Hau who still seemed deep in thought. "Mon cher, are you alright?" he asked. Hau snapped out of his trance, looking towards Gladion frantically. "Wh-what? Oh. Sorry, Hanini. I was just thinking about the League," he admitted. Gladion raised a brow at him, "You thinking about participating?"  
  
"Hmmm...maybe. If Moon becomes a Champion, I guess I'd have to fight her as one. But I don't want the title so much as I want the experience," he explained. Gladion stared at him for a moment before looking away shyly. "Back on Melemele...you told me I could be good at...whatever it was I wanted to be." Hau stared at him, blinking curiously. He did indeed remember saying these words. It was just so long ago now, he wondered what possessed Gladion to bring it up so suddenly.  
  
"Yeah, I remember."  
  
"I've had a lot of time to think about it...and I think, I wouldn't wanna be a Champion, either."  
  
"You wouldn't? Then what  _would_ you want to be?"  
  
Gladion was silent at this. It was a question Hau hadn't technically asked him yet. And he had quite a lot of time to think about it up to this point. He knew that being a trainer was already what defined him. So that wasn't it. He knew what he wanted to  _do_ so far as where to go, who to turn to. But that wasn't it either. So what  _did_ he want to be? He thought back to his childhood again. Did he ever have a dream growing up? Perhaps something, somewhere deep in him that had made a clear path at some point.  
  
His thoughts wandered back to his father as memories ran through his head. There was one thing for certain, his hatred for his mother, for Ultra Beasts and Ultra Space all stemmed from their research. It was all research that was meant to be for the greater good. But his mother had twisted it into something evil. She had taken his father's work and made it into a guinea pig. A mere lab rat for her obsessive desires. No good would or could come out of it anymore.  
  
Why had his father been so interested in it anyways? Now that he thought about it, they'd have long recognized the risks of opening wormholes. Summoning Ultra Beasts. Interfering with things they did not understand. It was the reason his father lost his life, after all. They had under-estimated their own work. All of these were logical reasons for him to despise the very nature of science itself, let alone this research they conducted. And yet...something in him was stirred as he thought more and more about it.  
  
His father never had ill intentions, he would never believe otherwise. So what  _were_ his intentions if not for selfish profit like his mother? He still scarcely remembered much about his father. It was too difficult to deduce on his own. Then, Gladion recalled something. Something he had  _almost_ forgotten. It was one of his fainter memories from a time when Lillie was still a baby incapable of fending for herself. When he was merely a toddler, only old enough to count to 10 and do his ABC's.  
  
"...I...would want to be a Pokémon Conservationist."  
  
"A Pokémon Conservationist...?"  
  
"Mm. It's...something my father was passionate about. You saw the Conservation Area at the Foundation, right?"  
  
"Yeah. I did."  
  
"He was the one who created it. It was his idea to use the Foundation as a sanctuary for pokémon who had no where to turn to."  
  
Hau blinked in disbelief as he stared at Gladion. "He did all that?" The blonde nodded, "I remember...him telling me about it when I was really young. It's a blur, but I definitely remember. He was...showing me blueprints I think." Hau slowly smiled, hugging Gladion's arm as he gazed up at him lovingly. The gesture calmed Gladion's nerves instantly. "That sounds really nice, alola. It's really selfless of you, you know?" he complimented. The older boy smiled as his eyes glimmered.  
  
"Merci, mon cher," he whispered. He kissed Hau's lips gently before quickly pulling away. The moment had seized him again. Hau cleared his throat, "W-Well, we should probably go heal up our pokémon. They got pretty beat up in that last fight." Gladion nodded. As they both began for the Pokémon Center again, the Riolu watched their movements from the corner it was sat in. It didn't follow them inside, but it kept it's eyes on the doors up to the very moment they had shut behind them.  
  
They were quick about healing their pokémon, and Hau made it a point to stock up. Once they were done, they both stepped outside. Though Hau seemed surprised by it as Gladion followed him back outside. "You're not gonna wait inside?" Gladion shook his head, "I don't really have to worry about the Aether Foundation now that they've pulled back. And besides...I thought I'd make use of that play pen over there." He pointed towards it to draw Hau's attention to make his point.  
  
Hau nodded, smiling up at him, "Ok then. Have fun, alola! Wish me luck!" Gladion kissed his cheek as he giggled lightly, "Do your best in there, mon cher." With that, Hau turned and entered the observatory. The older boy turned his attention towards Riolu who was still sat upon the rock. Slowly and carefully, Gladion stepped forward into the pen, keeping eye contact with the Riolu. It slowly stood up, keeping itself squatted with a paw resting on the rock. It seemed prepared to run away at any moment.  
  
Once Gladion had made it inside the pen, he backed away to the other end with his hands up. The Riolu stared at him, almost bewildered, in a way. It already knew that Gladion had been careful of it's boundaries, but this was the first time it had seen him go out of his way to allow it to feel... _comfortable_? Slowly, Gladion reached into his satchel bag. The Riolu's instinct to run shot back up to the surface, but still, it waited. Much to it's surprise, what the blonde boy pulled out was  _not_ a pokéball.  
  
But rather...a pokébean.  
  
It's stance eased up, and it nose twitched curiously. Gladion crouched down, before chucking the bean towards the Riolu. Unfortunately, in choosing to toss it low, he wasn't able to get it very far. It landed halfway between them. Riolu stared at it curiously, before it suddenly closed it's eyes. The appendages that hung from it's face rose into the air. It seemed to be scanning something. After a full minute, the appendages fell back down and it's eyes opened.  
  
Slowly and cautiously, the Riolu climbed down from the rock it was sat on. Every step it took was slow, tedious, and nerve-wracking. Both for itself and for the blonde boy. Every few inches it stopped, as if anticipating Gladion to betray it. But he never did. Eventually, it reached the pokébean. Still not breaking eye contact with the boy, it snatched up the bean and leapt backwards, landing safely and flawlessly on top of the rock it was just sat on not too long ago now.  
  
For the first time for what was certainly the whole morning, the Riolu willingly tore it's eyes off of Gladion. It stared at the pokébean, sniffing at it carefully. Gladion had long since pulled down his hands. It seemed unnecessary at this point. After another minute or 2 of Riolu's inspection, it held the pokébean carefully in both paws. It's nose twitched as it hesitantly leaned it's snout closer and closer to the treat. Then, hesitantly, it took a tiny bite out of it.  
  
It chewed slowly, and swallowed hard. It was still for a moment. A long,  _long_ moment. Gladion was practically sweating. Perhaps he should have just ignored it. Then, the Riolu continued eating, slowly and still taking small bites, but eating all the same. Gladion sighed in relief. It was left with crumbs on it's paws and mouth once it had finished. Finally, it looked at Gladion again, before slumping into a sitting position again. Gladion nodded, reaching into his bag again to pull out one of his pokéballs.  
  
The Riolu instantly darted off over the fence to hide. Of course, the older boy predicted this, but he wasn't too worried. He called out his pokémon, allowing them all to roam freely and play in the pen. He sat on a different rock that was nearby him as his Zoroark darted at him and began nuzzling him. He chuckled, patting it's muzzle and trying to calm it. "Easy, boy!" His other pokémon were astonished by Crobat's new form, and they began chattering with it almost immediately.  
  
Zoroark was curious as well, but it merely sat like a dog beside it's master. It cooed happily as Gladion gently scratch it's mane to keep it quiet. He glanced over to where Riolu had fled, finding it sat on the trunk of a car in a nearby parking lot by the Pokémon Center. It was still shy it seemed. Gladion smiled at it, before turning his head to watch Umbreon and Lycanroc spar with Crobat to test out it's new power and channel their own. He couldn't help but giggle slightly at how adorable the spectacle was.  
  
Truly, they were still just like curious children.

* * *

  
Once again the girls were patrolling the streets outside of Po Town. A Chansey and a Clefairy were both waddling beside their trainers, eager to stretch their legs. As per the usual lately, there hadn't been a single fool in sight all morning. Not that Lillie minded all  _too_ much, though. Her taste for these ingrates was becoming more and more bitter by the day. Strelitzia groaned as the ongoing silence began to be too much of a burden for her to bear.  
  
"Man, I wish someone would just grow a pair already and come fight us!" she whined. Lillie rolled her eyes at this. "Slow and steady wins the race, Zi..." she muttered. Strelitzia pouted under her mask. "C'mon Big Sis, I  _know_ you don't believe  _that_ lousy metaphor." Lillie sighed, "No, I don't. But I do believe in the bosses. And their advice has gotten me  _this_ far." Strelitzia sighed in defeat, forced to agree. She crossed her arms, blowing a raspberry to herself boredly.  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right..." she muttered. Her irritated demeanor faded in a matter of seconds when she turned her head to look at Lillie again. "How's Nebula?" she asked. Lillie hissed a loud "Shhh!" as she held a finger up to her mouth. Strelitzia recoiled back shamefully as she held her hands up. She whispered low the next time she spoke, " _Sorry...!_ " Lillie sighed, tugging open the bag slightly to look inside. As usual, the smoggy pokémon was fast asleep.  
  
"He's fine. Still sleeping, as usual."  
  
"Gee, I sure hope he gets better soon."  
  
"I'm starting to get worried...that Teleport took so much out of him."  
  
"You know, I've been meaning to ask you this...but you stole it from your mom, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I did. You're wondering why, right?"  
  
"Maaayyybe a little? It looks so rare! What pokémon even is that anyways?"  
  
"I don't actually know, Strelitzia. I just named it myself."  
  
She sighed, taking a deep breath. She had already let Strelitzia in on it's existence, albeit reluctantly. There really wasn't any point in hiding much else of the truth from her. For her brother, maybe this sort of thing was more dangerous. But she knew her mother's influence had no reach here. Criminals were beyond even  _her_ corrupt hands. Especially this group, whom operated as a family, and were only interested in their own goals. It was unlikely they'd answer to a psychopath like her mother.  
  
It was precisely the reason she had chosen them of all people to turn to. They were untouchable. And now, so was she. Or at the very least, she  _would_ be. "Well...the truth is, my mother is the president of the Aether Foundation," she admitted. Strelitzia's eyes nearly popped out of her skull. "WOAH! Really?! But- You're so- I mean it's just-" She stopped her rambling for a moment to look over her idol. It hit her like a wall crashing down to crush her to dust.  
  
"...You  _do_ look a lot  _like_ her, now that I think about it...platinum hair, green eyes," she concluded. Lillie sighed. "Guilty as charged." Strelitzia tilted her head, processing this information for a moment. It was certainly difficult to believe. But not impossible to imagine. "So...she's the president. So that must mean that that pokémon was part of some research project, am I right?" Strelitzia guessed, glancing to Lillie's dufflebag pointingly. Lillie nodded.  
  
"Bingo, little sis. I don't know  _what_ she was trying to do, but she had it in some machine that was  _killing_ it! I couldn't just... _leave_ it there, you know?"  
  
"Yeah, I totally get what you mean. I'd have done the same thing."  
  
"So, I broke into her lab, stole it, ran, and things went awry fast. Nebula must've sensed my distress because he teleported us onto the beach just down the road."  
  
"Hmph, guess your older brother left you holding the bag on that one too."  
  
"Just another perk of him running off without even telling anyone. Security was tighter than Fort Knox. Even though I still had mother believing I was her 'Perfect little angel', it was difficult. But somehow...I managed."  
  
Strelitzia nodded, smiling under her mask as her eyes gleamed. "Well, I sure am glad you two made it here!" she chirped. Lillie giggled as they continued walking. "Well,  _that_ much is evident," she teased. Strelitzia blushed, tapping her index fingers together nervously. "Aw geez, was I  _that_ obvious?" Lillie rolled her eyes, smirking smugly. "You  _are_ that obvious. But, I don't mind," she admitted. As they continued down their path, they began to approach the Police Station again. The door was closed today.  
  
Then, they stopped in their tracks as they were approached. A very flustered looking young man with a familiar and rather unsightly bracelet with charms on his wrist. He was shaking in his sandals, gripping his backpack as if his life depended on it. Strelitzia raised a brow at him. Lillie crossed her arms, giving him a nasty glare, "This here is Skull Gang turf. We don't  _like_ trespassers. Looks like I'll have to beat you into the  _ground_." The boy forced himself to speak as he shouted with a sheepish look.  
  
"I-I...I'm here to challenge you to a f-fight. M-Miss Skull P-P-Princess! I-If I win, you have to g-give up your crown a-and return all the stuff you stole! I-Including my f-friend Allison's lucky satchel!"  
  
Strelitzia resisted the urge to giggle, grinning madly under her mask. She was thankful it was there to keep her intimidating look from faltering. Lillie rolled her eyes. He was low meat, not even good enough for her underling sister. Despite that she  _really_ didn't feel like pummeling him, she did have to make him get lost. She stepped forward, "And if  _I_ win this little duel of ours?" The boy seemed stricken with shock that she even accepted. She raised an impatient brow at him as she shot him another glare.  
  
"Y-You can have all my stuff! My pokémon, my bag, whatever you want!"  
  
"What about your clothes?" Strelitzia teased.  
  
Lillie rolled her eyes again at this, "We're not taking his clothes, they're ugly." Strelitzia giggled. "Yeah! You're right! I was just screwin' with him! I mean, he said whatever we want you know~!" Lillie pointed towards the boy, prompting her Clefairy to step forward into the fray. The nervous boy dug through his bag until he pulled out a pokéball and tossed it into the air, calling out his companion. "H-Hakamo-o, let's go!" The creature that landed in the grass was quite the sight.  
  
A mostly gray pokémon that was covered in a mass of scales. Some of which were gigantic and armor-like. Few were a bright, golden color, including one on the top of it's head. It glared at the Clefairy with menacing, red eyes. And yet, the Clefairy seemed undeterred. Lillie didn't even have the spirit to smirk coyly or find any sort of pleasure in how foolish these trainers were anymore. They were all the same. Stupid, unprepared, and weak. She was sure even the reward would be hollow.  
  
She'd just end this quickly, and get it over with already.  
  
"Clefairy, use Moonblast!"  
  
The moon seemed to move back into the sky, as the Clefairy drew energy from it's light. Then, once it had collected enough power, it shot a beam of pink light into the Hakamo-o that it couldn't dodge. Lillie scoffed in disgust. So it was under-trained, too. She should've expected it from the lack of an Island Challenge amulet on this absolute buffoon. "H-Hakamo-o! Are you alright?!" the boy yelped. Lillie shook her head, "Dragon Types don't do so hot with Fairy Types, you dumb  _brat_."  
  
"I-I'm not gonna let you scare me! Hakamo-o, use Sky Uppercut!" the boy stammered. The Hakamo-o darted forward, socking Clefairy in the jaw and knocking it back. It stumbled, and it rubbed at it's chin with pain. However, the attack seemed to barely even scathe it further than that. The boy was sweating now as he began to realize the mistake he had made. Lillie wondered when that look of utter terror stopped looking so hilarious and started looking so irritating.  
  
"Clefairy, finish this clown off. Moonblast him again!" she ordered. Clefairy repeated it's previous attack, instantly sending the Hakamo-o to the ground and knocking it out. The boy freaked out, shivering as he was frozen in place. Lillie rolled her eyes again, holding out her hand as she stepped towards him. "Hand over that bag or I'll make her do that trick on  _you_ next," she ordered. The boy complied, tossing her his bag before calling back his fallen Hakamo-o and fleeing with his tail between his legs.  
  
Lillie pouted, groaning in annoyance, "These wimps are seriously killing my vibe." Strelitzia walked up to her, her Chansey following close behind her. "At least you got something out of it! Let's see what this loser's got!" Lillie began digging through the bag, not finding much of interest. Until that is, she spotted a particularly strange looking object at the bottom. She dug deeper, fishing out the object and holding it up in the daylight to reveal it. Both girls were caught frozen in shock.  
  
It was a Moon Stone.  
  
Strelitzia pulled her mask down, grinning like a maniac as her eyes sparkled. Lillie dropped the bag, completely unconcerned with it's other contents. However, Chansey and Clefairy investigated the more shiny items that spilled out of it out of curiosity. "Oh my gosh, Big Sis! You found a Moon Stone!" Strelitzia squeaked. Lillie stared at the stone, turning it over in her hand to inspect it. It was black. Almost shard like in it's rugged shape. And crystalline, too. It would probably look like just ashen rock to an uneducated eye.  
  
However, Lillie and Strelitzia both knew better than that. Lillie looked down at her Clefairy, who was still playing with a bottle cap it had found in the backpack laying on the ground. Lillie kneeled down to it, which grabbed it's attention quickly, as well as Chansey's. "Cleffy, I've got something for you..." Lillie said, holding up the Moon Stone. She was careful not to hold it too close to Clefairy just yet. It looked over the strange stone curiously, blinking in confusion. "Cleff?" it cooed.  
  
"This is a Moon Stone. It's going to help you evolve. You'll be the strongest you've ever been. But I need to know if you're  _ready_ for that strength."  
  
Clefairy stared at it's master blankly for a moment. It perfectly understood the question. And it didn't take long for it to reach it's answer. It gave a determined glare just before it suddenly leaned a hand forward and touched the stone. Upon contact, it became engulfed in a white light. Once again, it's form shifted and shaped into something new. It's horns grew out larger and longer. It became taller, bigger, and wider. The wings on it's back grew out, as did it's tail.  
  
Once the light faded, the stone began to crack until it shattered in Lillie's hands. The girls both cried out in surprise. However, their attention was pulled back to Clefairy quickly when the light faded from it. It's coat had became a bit paler in shade, but maintained it's overall pink hue. It's horns were now primarily pink, only tips of black on the ends. The blush had all but disappeared from it's face, and it's curly hair seemed to shrink and steady out in style and size.  
  
Instead of claws, it now had fully developed fingers on it's hands. And it had grown a couple more toes on it's feet, which were much less stubby and had some legs to support it better. The wings on it's back had dyed a darker shade of pink and were like deadly spikes protruding out of it's back. It's long, curled tail had also grown out a bit. Finally, it was perfect. Lillie smiled, holding back tears from her sense of pride. She pat it's head, standing up on her feet, "You've grown up so much, Cleffy...I'm proud."  
  
Cleffy nodded, "Clefable!" Strelitzia pulled up her face mask, realizing her mistake finally. "Oh! Jeepers, I got all excited for a second there! This is great, Big Sis! Cleffy's so big and strong now!" Lillie nodded, taking her hand off of Clefable to stop petting it as she fed it it's favorite type of pokébean. "There's a good girl. Now that you're at your full potential, we'll be able to take down Gladion  _together_ ," she reassured with a smirk. Clefable nodded again, happily munching on it's reward.  
  
It was certain it's revenge would taste much, much sweeter in the end now that it was at it's strongest.

* * *

  
"Well done, Hau! My calculations were a bit off, but you somehow managed!"  
  
A short and chubby boy with rather casual attire and a scarf that resembled a Pikachu's tail praised Hau and his pokémon partner. Hau puts his hand behind his head as he leaned back and chuckled. "Thanks, Captain Sophocles! So does that mean I passed?" Hau asked. Sophocles nodded, pulling out a yellow Z-Crystal from his pocket. "Mmhm! Which means I hereby bestow upon you the honor of Electrium Z! Use it wisely," he instructed, holding the crystal out to Hau who gladly took it.  
  
"Awesome!" he cheered. Sophocles nodded, scratching the back of his head as he sweat a bit and his brows furrowed. "And...as an apology for that little... _malfunction_..." he muttered, pulling a stone out of his pocket as well. It was green and crystallized, and in the middle Hau could make out a thunder bolt shape inside of it. He blinked at it curiously. "What is it?" Sophocles smirked smugly, "This here is a Thunder Stone. It's a special stone that can evolve 3 specific pokémon."  
  
"Really? Only 3?" Hau asked. Sophocles nodded. "Yup! Like your Pikachu, for example. Of course, you don't have to use it right away. It can be evolved at any time once it comes into contact with that there stone!" Hau stared at it for a moment, before taking it and putting it in his backpack with his Z-Crystal. "Thanks, Captain!" His eyes lit up as they landed on a certain Z-Crystal he had somehow forgotten about in his bag. He took it out, examining it briefly.  
  
He had all but lost track of the very first crystal he had ever gotten. He looked to Sophocles who had already begun typing into his computer again. "Hey, Captain? Before I go..." Sophocles turned his head to look at Hau curiously. His eyes landed on the Z-Crystal in his fingers and he instantly approached him. "What is it?" he asked. "W-Well, it's this Z-Crystal I have. Tapu Koko gave it to my friend and...well, he didn't know how to use it so he gave it to me. But I dunno what kind it is," Hau explained.  
  
"Hmm, here, allow me," Sophocles offered, holding his hand out again. Hau put the crystal into his hand. Sophocles looked it over, squinting his eyes at it and straining a bit. Suddenly, he cried out in recognition. "Oh! I know what this! It's Aloraichium Z!" Hau raised a brow at him, "Um...Alorai...what now?" Sophocles snickered as he handed the boy back his crystal. "It's a special Z-Crystal made only for a specific pokémon here in Alola!"  
  
"It is?"  
  
"Mmhm! It can only be used by Raichus native to Alola."  
  
"What kind of Z-move is it anyways?"  
  
"It's an Electric Type, obviously! It transforms the move Thunderbolt into a Z-move called Stoked Sparksurfer! It also has a secondary effect if it doesn't manage to take out it's target, that being Paralysis, of course!"  
  
"Wow! It sounds so cool! Th-thanks Captain Sophocles!"  
  
Sophocles handed Hau back his Z-Crystal before wiping his index finger under his nose smugly. "No need to thank me. Good luck against Captain Acerola!" he said before turning back to his computer again. Hau nodded, putting his crystal away and heading for the door with his pokémon. He waved goodbye to Sophocles as he smiled. "It was nice meeting you! Good luck with your machine, Captain!" Hau turned away again, leaving through the front doors and happy to find his boyfriend was right where he left him.  
  
Well, not  _exactly_ as he left him, per say. Currently, he was in the play pen watching Zoroark play with the Riolu from afar. Crobat was perched on his head, watching in what appeared to be disapproval. Umbreon and Lycanroc ignored this, still sparring together to keep their strength up. As soon as Hau approached, everyone stopped and stared at his pokémon. He had gone in the observatory with a Torracat, but what stood beside him was a cuddly quadruped no longer.  
  
Instead, the black and red colored feline had become a biped, anthropomorphic creature. It's ears had shrunken down, and it's face was much more intimidating with the look of a tiger now. The red fur of it's cheeks had fluffed out tremendously. It's chest was gray, with a black marking like the one on it's face plastered across it just under it's abs. There were tufts of black fur sticking out along it's red and black striped arms. Each paw was like a fist, with five fingers and sharp claws.  
  
Around it's waist was a belt that was made of pure fire. It's red legs were striped with black stripes that reached down to it's paws. And finally, it's tail had inversed in it's stripes. Instead, it was now red with black stripes, and the end had been rounded out with a tuft of spiky black fur just below the tip of it. It's overall look reminded Gladion of The Masked Royal. He sweat a bit, completely in shock and dumbfounded as to how he should even  _begin_ to address the Phanpy in the room.  
  
Even the Riolu seemed un-nerved by the strange creature. Hau chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uhhh, hey guys. Meet...Incinceroar. Torracat kind of um... _evolved_  during our trial. And this is what his final evolution looks like." Gladion forced a sheepish smile as his eye twitched nervously. "Y-You don't say..." he muttered. Crobat flew off of the older boy's head, flying around Incineroar to inspect it. Once it finished it's evaluation, it signaled to it's companions it was indeed their friend.  
  
And like that, all of Gladion's pokémon crowded him. In the process one of them accidentally shoved Hau so hard he tripped. However, he was quickly caught by Gladion who was quick to hurry over to the scene just like his pokémon. Hau blushed up at him with stars in his eyes. "Are you alright, Hau?" Gladion asked. Hau smiled dreamily in a goofy grin. "Never better, handsome~" he cooed. Gladion rolled his eyes, half tempted to just drop Hau for the cheesy flirt. But he restrained himself.  
  
"No cuddles for you tonight," he teased. "What? Awww! C'mon, Hanini, it was just a joke!" Hau pouted, clearly not picking up on the sarcasm. Gladion sighed. He was such an airhead sometimes. But it was too cute to hate. "I was just kidding, mon cher. As if I could go a night without you~" he cooed, pulling Hau close to him in an intimate embrace. Hau was completely and utterly helpless to his flirting once again. He squeaked, his face fuming with red as he failed to think of a clever response.  
  
Gladion just chuckled, capturing his lips in a clutzy but chaste kiss. After half a minute, they pulled apart as Hau cried out in realization. "Oh! W-We should get back home. Captain Sophocles gave me a Thunder Stone and I wanna use it on my Pikachu!" Hau declared. Gladion raised a brow at him, "Thunder Stone? I think I've heard of it before. Does it help Pikachu evolve?" Hau nodded, "Mmhm. It evolves it into it's final evolution, a Raichu. My favorite pokémon like,  _ever_!"  
  
The blonde chuckled again in amusement. Was it even possible for Hau to turn off his cuteness? He certainly didn't think so. "Alright, alright. We'll go. But we'll have to wait for a bus for an hour if you wanna take the short route." Hau shook his head, "Nah, I was thinking we could maybe get some practice in. I saw some trainers on the road up." Gladion nodded, letting go of Hau to call back all his pokémon save for his Umbreon. Hau took Gladion's hand, heading down the road with him as their pokémon followed.  
  
Even Riolu joined their journey, keeping a few feet behind of course, and still keeping it's habit to dart away when spotted. Though, it was strange. Gladion could've  _sworn_ it had began walking a few inches closer than it had before.

* * *

  
The boys burst through the door, nearly exhausted from their long walk down the mountain. They let out all the pokémon that they could into the motel room, most of them being far too big to fit inside now. They felt a little guilty about it, but their companions were understanding of course. The only ones left in their pokéballs for the night were Hau's Tauros and Noivern. Even with Noivern taking the ceiling, it took up too much space to move around much. Everyone else moved into a comfortable place.  
  
Upon Hau's command, Pikachu took up a spot on the bed, curious to it's master's intentions. It tilted it's head, blinking at him as he fished through his backpack. "Pika?" it cooed, curiously. Eventually, Hau managed to pull out the Thunder Stone. Upon seeing it, his Pikachu began pouncing up and down excitedly, it's eyes sparkling with joy. "Pika! Pika pika! Chuuuu~!" Hau chuckled, "I guess I don't even have to ask if you want it, huh?" The older boy was sat on the floor with his Null, petting it gently.  
  
Everyone was watching with great anticipation. Pikachu managed to calm itself down, sitting absolutely still. Then, it's master placed the Thunder Stone in it's tiny, chubby hands. It cheered one last time in that unmistakable, sing-song voice as the light consumed it. "Pikachu~!" Then, it's form began to shift in the light. It's pointy ears became more rounded and curled. It's hands and fingers shrunk down to stubs as it's body became bigger and much rounder and chubbier.  
  
The beginning part of it's tail began to thin out as it grew, the end of it becoming bulkier and shaped into an oddly-formed lightning bolt. It's feet became much larger as well, becoming big paws that rested on the larger end of the tail. Finally, the light faded. The stone dulled in color just before it began to crack. It shattered in it's paws, crumbling into a broken mess on the bed. The new pokémon that was stood before them was quite a colorful spectacle.  
  
It's yellow fur was now dyed a tropical orange, and it's red cheeks had turned yellow. Baby blue eyes sparkled in place of what was once bulbous brown irises. It's large ears matched it's cheeks in color, and inner spiral at the base of each while the interior of which was brown. On it's belly was a big white spot. The same white tipped it's stubby hands and paws and the brown stripes on it's back also took on this white hue. The long and thin part of it's tail was brown, and at the bulkier end it faded into yellow.  
  
Immediately, they noticed Raichu was floating. It was standing on the end of it's tail, almost as if it was... _surfing_. It's cheeks sparked with excitement as it began to take it's new form for a test drive. It surfed along the air of the room, flying around everyone in the room before returning back to it's trainer. "Rai rai!" it cheered. Hau grinned, his eyes sparkling with stars once again. "You...look... _AMAZING_!!!" he yelped, pulling his Raichu into a tight hug that it returned in full, still keeping it's feet on it's tail.  
  
Gladion spoke up after a minute to snap Hau out of it, "He looks pretty festive, I'd say. No wonder you like this one so much." Hau nodded in agreement. He let loose his grip on his Raichu before sitting back on the bed. His newly-evolved pokémon roamed freely about the room to further celebrate it's new form with it's companions. Hau sighed tiredly, rubbing at his eyes. "Man, what a day..." he muttered. Gladion noticed this, and got up from the floor to join Hau on the bed. He smirked at him.   
  
"Was it a hard one today? Or is that just the trip home talking?"  
  
"I'm not too sure..."  
  
Hau's eyes lit up suddenly as he cried out in realization. "Oh! That's right! Gladion!" he yelped suddenly. Gladion raised a brow at him, "What is it?" Hau pulled the Aloraichium Z out of his bag again to show to the older boy. At first, he didn't recognize it. However, upon close inspection, he realized what it was immediately. "That's the Z-Crystal I gave you..." he muttered. Hau nodded, "Captain Sophocles told me something about it today. It's a special crystal that can only be used by a single pokémon."  
  
"R-Really? What pokémon is that?"  
  
"Easy. My Alola Raichu."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Only Alolan Raichus can use this crystal. It transforms their Thunderbolt into a special Z-Move."  
  
The explanation left Gladion absolutely dumbfounded. After all, he remembered that Tapu Koko had given him that Z-Crystal originally. Wouldn't it have made more sense to give it to Hau? He had a hard time believing it wasn't familiar with him, what with working so closely with his grand-father and all. And the way it had given it to him was even stranger. He had asked for advice. For some sign of where to go or what to do. Giving him that as an answer...just didn't make any sense.  
  
Especially when he knew nothing about these crystals until Hau had to explain it to him. Suddenly, Gladion realized something. There was only one reason the Tapu would give him a crystal only Hau could use, Hau would know what to do with, and Hau would probably above all else  _need_ to get stronger. Gladion's eyes widened as he looked Hau in the eye. "Hau...do you...remember how I said that Tapu Koko gave me that crystal?" he asked.  
  
"Of course I do."  
  
"When I went to that shrine...I  _begged_ it to help me. I wanted a Plan B if I was going to stay here in Alola. So I asked it for something,  _anything_ , some kind of sign or advice as to what I should do or where I should go..."  
  
"And...it gave you this as a response?"  
  
Gladion nodded, "Yeah. I think...it was telling me I had to turn to  _you_."  
  
"You really think so?"  
  
"Why else would it give me that crystal? I couldn't use it, I never even had a Pichu much less a Raichu."  
  
Hau contemplated this for a moment. He had definitely been curious since he found out the crystal's use. After all, that was why he asked Sophocles about it in the first place. Tapu Koko worked in quite mysteries ways sometimes. All the Tapus did. Hau smiled, putting the crystal away before turning his head up to look at his boyfriend again. "Well then, I think that was some pretty good advice you got, huh, alola?" Gladion smiled back, halfly smirking as he coughed in a slight laugh.  
  
"Yeah...I guess it was~"  
  
Hau yawned, stretching out his arms as his eyelids began to grow heavy. "Man, I'm  _beat_ from today..." he whined. Gladion didn't waste a second pulling him down onto the bed to lay down. Crobat took this as a signal to turn off the lights as it screeched at the others to turn off the TV. They whined, but complied obediently. Crobat retreated to the ceiling to rest. All the pokémon had fallen asleep quickly. However, once again, the boys were whispering and cuddling to each other for at least an hour before they slept.  
  
And once again, their worries and self-doubts ate away at them like parasites.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So some of you may have noticed I actually have a schedule of how many chapters I've got left to do. That's because sadly we are nearing the end my friends. But fret not, once I have wrapped this up, I will be coming out with 2 more fanfics releasing later this month (Including a brand _new_ cuteboneshipping fic), hopefully before August starts but _definitely_ before summer is over. Be on the lookout for those, and I will update you more on them as we are reaching our finale.
> 
> If you are interested in keeping up with me, don't hesitate to subscribe for more of my content. Love you bunches everybody and thank you so much for all the love and support through this journey ~♥♥♥ ^w^


	48. Chapter 47 - How Do I Say...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plumeria gets an unexpected call on her phone, as Gladion realizes the risk of joining Hau on his next trial.

Plumeria's phone was buzzing with a call. It never buzz with a call. Nobody ever had to call anyone in this place. There was never an emergency that was worth a call. No matter grave enough between anyone. Not even Guzma and herself. None of the children. Not even Lillie would call her. There was only one person, one  _woman_ who would need to call anyone. How did she get this number? Who told her? Why was she calling her?! Maybe...maybe it was a mistake.  
  
Yeah, it had to be. Wrong number, right? No, no that's too naive of her to assume. It was never just a mistake with this crazy wench. She was sweating hard as she stared wide-eyed at her phone. Her hands were shaking. She didn't know what to do. Should she ignore it? Should she pick up and then hang up the number in hopes she wouldn't consider calling a second time? Should she block her number? All of these options, every single one sucked. They were all pointless.  
  
There was no other option...  
  
"...H-Hello?"  
  
"Ah, there you are. I was getting worried this might not be the right phone number. Bonne journée, Plumeria. I have a  _favor_ to ask of you."  
  
As usual, she got straight to the point. She didn't even bother hiding it. And her sing-song voice was even more frightening than ever. Why was it so god damn mortifying?! Before it was just annoying, but now... "A f-favor...?" Plumeria stuttered. She bit her lower lip, cursing herself for acting so nervous. Lusamine giggled from the other end. "You're right, that is a  _stupid_ word. You're a smart girl, after all. Here's the deal, little lady...if you don't do what I say, I'm burning that town to the ground," she threatened.  
  
"And furthermore, I'll make  _sure_ that you  _and_ Guzma are thrown in jail. And that every single one of those children is safely returned to their oh-so concerned parents. Like that young one, what's her name? Strelitzia~? I hear she's got just the most  _loving_ mother and brother who are worried  _sick_ about her."  
  
"How did you-?!"  
  
"My patience wears thin, Plumeria. Guzma is smart enough to not talk  _back_. Now are you going to do what I ask, or  _not_?"  
  
She had no way to stall. No retort. No dirt. Nothing to negotiate with. She was just plain powerless. It was frustrating. It was scary. It was the worst thing she had ever experienced in her entire life. And worse still, she was sure Lusamine was only doing this out of suspicion. Guzma was now compromised. Which meant she knew her threats didn't work on him. So instead she went for the next best thing; stooping to a whole new low to intimidate his closest ally into doing her dirty work.  
  
And it worked like a charm. Plumeria knew this woman had the kind of power she said she did. Especially with their weak alibis. Even if they wanted to try countering her with the abuse of her own children, all they had was Lillie's account and the boy was missing from the picture still. Plumeria sighed in defeat. "What is it that you want done exactly, Madam President?" She could feel the grin through the phone as Lusamine continued. " _Excellent_! You see, I know  _exactly_ where my  _precious_ little boy is!"  
  
She nearly dropped the phone in shock, "I-I'm sorry,  _what_?"  
  
"I had a couple of your lovely children help me out. I've located him on your home island, Ula'Ula. He's currently in Malie City, most likely staying in a motel of some sort."  
  
"If that's the case, what the hell do you need  _me_ for then?"  
  
"The thing is Plumeria, I'd go fetch him myself, except for one thing...you and your bell boy were  _supposed_ to deliver that Type:Null to me and whether you're just incompetent or lying to me, you have failed to do so. I don't trust Guzma with this task, so I'm giving  _you_ one last chance to do your chores."  
  
"A-Alright...so you want me to just take the Type:Null and deliver it to you?"  
  
"Oh, no. Plans have changed, actually."  
  
Plumeria began to feel uneasy. A horrible pit hit her stomach as she couldn't shake the feeling she was about to hear something awful. "Wh-what do you mean?" she asked. "You see, I'm fresh out of mercy and I'm a little miffed with your failures. So instead of just that Type:Null, I want you to deliver me the boy  _and_ the Beast Killer. Do I make myself clear?" Plumeria's eyes were wide with terror. She couldn't possibly do this! What she was asking was obvious. She'd be bringing that kid to his own execution!  
  
But...  
  
"...I-If I do this, you  _swear_ you'll leave the kids and Guzma alone?"  
  
"Dear, you have my word. All I want is that boy and my Beast Killer. Oh and I suppose I should clarify this, but I want them both alive and in tact. Don't scuff them up  _too_ much. I want them in pristine condition. The boy is mine to break, not yours."  
  
"A-Alright...I'll do it. Just please, keep your promise."  
  
"Oh, and one more thing~! No tattling off to Guzma or any of your kids. I'll know.  _Don't_ test me."  
  
With a loud click, the other end had hung up on her. She gasped for breath as she had somehow not noticed herself holding her own breath throughout the conversation. She flipped her phone shut, before tossing it at the wall and completely breaking it in half. Tears pricked at her eyes as she was left completely helpless and frustrated. She breathed shaky, unsteady breaths as she tried not to cry, looking down at a pokéball she pulled out of her pocket. Her hand was still shaking.  
  
"I'm sorry Guzma...I hope you can forgive me for this."

* * *

  
The older boy had woken up early that morning. He was hesitant to pull away from his boyfriend, as he was every morning. However, he knew he had to get up. There was no going back to sleep for him now. He'd just have to prepare early and be quiet about it. And so he did, he got himself dressed and checked his bag briefly. Alpha had awoken, being much too light a sleeper due to it's experiences in the past. But it was careful to keep quiet as well, not wanting to disturb the others while they slept.  
  
Boredom and curiosity got the better of Gladion as he fished through Hau's bag for the map. Hau had already marked it up the day before, detailing their next route. As he followed it, his eyes landed on a certain building that froze his blood. His eyes went wide as he sweat a bit. It was a long path to get there, and most likely they would have to take a taxi service to make it go by faster. But at the end was a single building that shook Gladion's nerves.  
  
A house by the edge of a small beach, titled "The Aether House". Alpha noticed it's companion's unease and grunted at him quietly to get his attention. Gladion bit his lip, glancing at Alpha nervously as he sweat a bit. Alpha tilted it's head curiously. It didn't understand what the source of it's master's distress was. Before Gladion could even begin to explain himself, he heard Hau shuffle and stir in the bed. Slowly, he sat up, rubbing at his eyes as the blanket fell off of him.  
  
He turned to look at Gladion curiously. "Gladion? You're up already?" Gladion turned to look at him, still holding the map close to his chest. "S-Sorry. Did I wake you?" he asked. Hau smiled sweetly. "It's fine, alola. The path we're taking today is pretty long, even with a taxi." Gladion looked down at the map again, clearly uneasy. "About that..." he muttered. Hau blinked, tilting his head at him worriedly as he approached the bed and sat down beside him again.  
  
"Hau, I...I don't think I can go with you today."  
  
"What?! Wh-why not?"  
  
The older boy showed his companion the map, pointing out the house he had overlooked. Hau's eyes widened, waking up completely as he looked over the map with disbelief. Still, he was un-nerved at the idea of leaving Gladion on his own even if for a few hours. He shook his head, "A-Absolutely not! Last time I left you alone you almost..." He couldn't even finish. Gladion brushed his hand against his cheek to calm him down. "H-Hey. Last time was different."  
  
"Gladion, if you get hurt again, I-"  
  
"Hau, I won't run away again. That's the only reason I got hurt last time. You told me to do one thing and I screwed it up."  
  
"That wasn't your fault, it was mine! I never should've left the island in the first place. If I hadn't-"  
  
"Hau, please. It's alright. I'll be ok. I won't leave the motel room."  
  
The irony of their reversal was not lost upon Hau. He had realized his mistake before, and he knew he couldn't make it again. But still, there was also some truth in what Gladion was saying. And after what happened at the Ferry Station, he completely trusted the older boy not to abandon him. He sighed. He really didn't want to agree to this, but the risk of bringing Gladion near more Aether Foundation sites wasn't worth it. Especially if they wanted to make sure they could carry out their plan.  
  
"...Fine. But I want you to keep the tablet. I want to be sure you can contact someone that can help you if you need it while I'm gone."  
  
Gladion nodded, "O-Of course! I'll stay inside and be safe, mon cher. I promise." Hau sighed again, grabbing Gladion's hand and leaning his face into it. He was clearly hesitant to have even agreed to this arrangement. Gladion gave him a loving smile, "Hey, look at me." Hau couldn't resist the offer and locked eyes with his boyfriend. His eyes were glazed over with worry that was plain to see. He couldn't help but blush under Gladion's reassuring smile.  
  
"I won't leave you. You can trust me," he cooed, pressing their heads together as he rubbed his thumb in a circle along Hau's cheek. Hau wrapped his arms around his neck, gazing into his eyes as he resisted the urge to cry. "I do trust you. It's myself that I don't trust..." he muttered. "E aho, Hau. We'll be together no matter what," Gladion whispered. He leaned in, kissing Hau on the lips to soothe him. It got a bit more passionate than most of their kisses, but it ended before it got too heated.  
  
_Should I tell him...?_ Gladion thought as he cradled Hau in his arms to calm him down. He shook his head at the thought. He didn't want to make Hau more upset than he already was. It could wait until later. Maybe once he saw that Gladion kept his word, he'd be in a better mood for it. Eventually, Hau managed to calm himself. It was silent between them up until the moment Hau had to leave. It seemed like he was going to approach the door when he turned around to look at his boyfriend again.  
  
He grabbed his hands, his face red and his eyes widening like a Deerling in headlights. His brows furrowed as he began to speak. "Before I go..." he muttered. Gladion blinked at him, squeezing Hau's hands to give him comfort. The younger boy hesitantly continued. "I just...wanted to tell you that I..." he hesitated. He was silent for half a minute before he spoke up again. "I-I'm sorry for being a jerk the other night. I'll explain later, I promise. I just want you to know...you didn't hurt my feelings or anything."  
  
Gladion blinked in shock. He frowned, his eyes glazing over as a sense of guilt washed over him. For some reason, despite knowing that this wasn't a lie, he felt like it wasn't the whole truth, either. Still, he offered to explain when he returned, so that was enough for him. Gladion kissed his forehead gently. "Merci, mon cher. I'll wait for you..." he whispered. Hau nodded, hesitantly letting go of Gladion before heading out the door. Once it click shut, Gladion was alone with his pokémon.  
  
He sighed. This was going to be a  _long_ day.

* * *

  
All was quiet in the quaint little home as Acerola looked over the photo she had been given for what must've been the hundredth time since she had received it. She was determined to be on the lookout for this boy. After all, Uncle Nanu's health depended on it. At times she thought perhaps if she didn't look, Nanu would keep on being productive. But obviously that thought was quickly crushed by the more logical part of her brain. The part that told her this boy was in danger and needed help right away.  
  
Why else would Nanu be so desperate to find him? And that picture, the more she analyzed it, the more she deduced from it. She had long since concluded by now the photo was indeed from a security camera. She was certain the context displayed an escape attempt. And if so, clearly a successful one if Nanu was sure this boy was out there right now. She noticed the unmistakable absence of color of the room around the boy and his pokémon. It was most likely a laboratory of some kind.  
  
_Or maybe..._ she thought, looking around the Aether House lobby. Her train of thought was interrupted as the children burst through the door to their room with great excitement. One a little girl with low hanging ponytails, a cute dress with flower patterns, and a stiff straw hat. Beside her was a Yungoos. The other, was a little boy in a bucket hat, a dark tank top with a certain fish pokémon printed on it, shorts, and had short brown hair. Beside  _him_ was an Elekid.  
  
"Acerola! Can we go outside and play now?"  
  
"Yeah! Pretty pleeeaaase?"  
  
Acerola giggled and shook her head, "Silly billies! I have to stay here and wait for trial-goers today." The children pouted and whined at this. "Awww! But we're so booored!" the girl whined. The boy nodded, "Yeah, we gotta do  _something_!" Acerola glanced at the Oranguru behind the desk. It sighed heavily, picking up the children and taking turns giving them piggy back rides as they cheered happily. She couldn't remember how long she had lived here under it's care. They all had for quite some time now.  
  
This small little house was a blessed sanctuary, one that was graciously gifted to her after her father's tragic death by the Aether family. Every now and again, the president would send some employees down to check on them. But they were always fine. Oranguru provided just fine for everyone, as did Acerola. They had lovingly nicknamed him "Headmaster" since, well, he  _was_ the headmaster of the home. Of course, this lovely little home was not always intended to be a sanctity for orphans such as herself.  
  
That much was evident when one stepped in the front door, after all. It did used to be a research center of sorts. A base of operations. But the president's late husband had changed it for Acerola's sake. She wondered what he was up to these days. She didn't hear much from the president herself, and much less so from her husband. He was quite the generous man. And she couldn't forget his jolly smile and friendly attitude. Perhaps one of these days she'd try contacting him again.  
  
She looked over the photo again, still thinking about these things. Once again, she noticed something she hadn't before. This boy...his hair looked oddly similar to the president's husband's. In fact, he looked a lot like the president herself. It was hard to tell in the blur. She squinted her eyes in hopes to somehow get a clearer look that way. It was possible she might have headed onto something, if not for the front door suddenly sliding open as someone stepped inside.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
The children and Headmaster looked up immediately to find a young man with a familiar looking amulet hanging off of his back pack. Green hair in a spiked ponytail, dark skin, a brightly colored and floral patterned pair of orange shorts that doubled as swim trunks. The description that matched perfectly with a certain something she had heard before. "Hello there! Are you here to take my trial?" Acerola greeted, jumping down from her seat at the counter and heading towards him with her hands behind her back.  
  
She was bent awkwardly, peering up at him like a curious puppy. He smiled awkwardly as he half waved, still keeping his grip on his backpack straps. "Err, hi there. My name is Hau. Are...you the next Captain?" Acerola straightened her posture, nodding exuberantly. "Sure am! Hau, you said? I heard a lot about  _you_!" she declared. At first, Hau sweat a bit as he began to feel nervous. He chuckled nervously, "R-Really? Wh-who would be talking about  _me_?"  
  
"Just had her here not too long ago. She left to take her Grand Trial, I think. Real talented trainer with just the most  _beautiful_ Brionne~!" Acerola described. It instantly clicked with him as he realized it. "O-Oh, you mean Moon." Acerola's eyes lit up in realization, "Oh, yeah yeah yeah!  _Moon_! That was it!" Hau's anxiety melted away as he sighed in relief. Finally, he could relax a bit. "I see. So she's making real progress. I had better catch up soon," he chuckled.  
  
"Just show me your Electrium Z and I'll take you right to the trial site!" Hau reached into his bag, pulling out the Z-Crystal for her to inspect. She nodded in approval after a brief look, prompting him to put it away and head back towards the door. Acerola turned to the children and Headmaster once more for a goodbye as she waved. "Behave yourselves, kids! And if anybody funny-looking comes in, give 'em a big whoopin' for me!" The children nodded, "Ok, Acerola!"  
  
She giggled to herself as she exited the home with Hau. "Ahhh, kids..." she muttered. Hau tilted his head at her, "Are they yours?" Acerola giggled, "Oh! Heavens, no! I'm not old enough for kids! I'm still pretty young, actually. About your age, I think." Hau's eyes widened as a sheepish look crossed his face. He was  _really_ bad at guessing ages it seemed. She giggled to herself again, "You look pretty funny! Did I shock you?" Hau shook his head, waving his hands frantically.  
  
"Wh-what?! No, no! I just...ok, maybe a  _little_."  
  
"Hehehe! You're funny!"  
  
"Um...thank you?"  
  
"Alright, alright, I'll stop pulling your leg. I really am still a kid. That house there is an orphanage, pretty much. Those kids aren't mine, just fellow orphans."  
  
"Really? But it says 'Aether House' on the map."  
  
"Yes. That's because a long time ago it used to be a research lab. The Aether Foundation renovated it for me and every now and then they come back to check on us. We're usually taken care of by Headmaster."  
  
"Oh, you have a headmaster?"  
  
"Yup. Our Oranguru."  
  
Hau grinned excitedly, "Wow! Your headmaster is an Oranguru? That's so cool! So, he takes care of you?" Acerola nodded, looking up at him again as she pointed to her fingers one by one. "He cooks for us, cleans up after us, teaches us how to count, read, write. All that stuff," she explained. Hau thought about it for a moment. "Sooo, he's kind of like a parent for you guys." Acerola blushed a bit, "I guess so. He's  _very_ kind. We're lucky to have him, after all!"  
  
"Sure seems like it," Hau said, scratching the back of his neck as he chuckled again. Now, Acerola had spent a lot of time with Nanu since she was anointed a Captain on Ula'Ula. This lead to him teaching her a few of the things he had learn on the force on the rare days he wasn't avoiding the world. One of these things, was reading people's faces and subtle actions to see how nervous they were. Most people had a particular look in their eye, they fidgeted, they displayed mannerisms that an untrained eye would overlook.  
  
Hau had some of these mannerisms. Even after the odd reaction to finding out Moon had mentioned him, he seemed uneased. It was clear something was bothering him. He was constantly looking at his hands that were still wrapped around his backpack straps. His eyes were slightly glazed. And she could've sworn she saw a hint of a stain on his cheek. A clear stain. A  _tear_ stain. "Are you excited to take your trial?" she asked. He didn't seem to expect the question after the brief silence and was startled.  
  
"Oh, um...y-yeah. Of course," he said. Her smile faded a bit. He was lying. "You seem troubled," she said, bluntly. He instantly cracked under the pressure. Almost as if he was too stressed to think clearly enough. He refused eye contact now. "I-I'm just nervous, I-I guess." Acerola tilted her head to the side slightly. Despite Hau not looking at her, she didn't stop looking at  _him_. "Hmmm...are you worried about something?" she asked.  
  
"Huh?" he said, finally staring at her in bewilderment. She was onto him and he knew it. He sighed in defeat. "Fine, you got me. I am worried. It's my boyfriend is all. It's nothing important..." he muttered. Acerola straightened her head again to meet his eyes properly. "It clearly must be if I could see how worried you were. Is your boyfriend sick?" Hau shook his head, "No. It's just...whenever he's on his own, he doesn't do so well. And things have been a little... _tense_ between us lately."  
  
He stopped himself. "I-I shouldn't tell you this, it's not-" She interrupted him as she suddenly stopped and held up her hand to her face, her index finger pressed against her thumb. "You don't need to worry, I've got nobody to tell after all. My lips are sealed~!" She made a zipping motion across her face, and he stared at her for a moment. She wasn't sure what was going through his head, but he began walking again, prompting her to follow him again.  
  
"It's just...he and I were...fooling around a couple nights ago. He was just teasing me. I don't think he realized it when he said it but-"  
  
"Said what?"  
  
"...I was just whining sarcastically and, he said 'Shut up, you love me'."  
  
Acerola held a hand up to her mouth, "Oh my! So sudden!"  
  
Hau nodded, astounded he had someone to talk to about this for once. "Th-that's what I thought too! I mean...we haven't been dating that long. But..." Acerola smiled up at him coyly, "Buuut~?" He sighed, still hesitating to get it out. " _But_ , I...I  _do_ love him. I've always been in love with him. But I don't want to scare him, so I never say anything like that," he admitted. Acerola tilted her head back and forth as she hummed in thought. She processed everything he told her for a moment before coming to a conclusion.  
  
"Maaayyybeee, he wants to say it too. But he was too scared to say it himself, so he projected it onto  _you_ ~!" she chirped. Hau raised a brow at this. He wasn't really sure that was a logical conclusion. "But, what if he was just joking?" Acerola gently closed her eyes as she relaxed herself, still walking along to guide Hau to the site. "Every joke has a bit of truth in it as my father always said," she retorted. Hau blinked at her, utterly flabbergasted at just how wise she seemed to be.  
  
Then, he smiled, "Yeah, I guess there is." Acerola smiled up at him, opening her eyes again. "You know what I think you should do?" she asked. Hau tilted his head curiously at her. "What's that?" She smirked, "You should tell him the truth. Whenever you see him again. He might appreciate it a lot." Hau yelped at this, "B-But what if I scare him off?!" Acerola giggled, "Hau, everyone gets scared when they're in love. That's just a natural part of life~! And if he believes you love him anyways, then surely, he loves you too!"  
  
Hau thought this advice over carefully, contemplating it heavily. That was when he had finally made up his mind, unbeknownst to Acerola. But she could guess, from the glint in his eye as he went silent. She just continued guiding him along the path, eventually reaching a beach littered with black sand. The dreary area gave Hau a slight sense of unease in a different sense. But he felt more confident now. Tonight, when he returned home, he would settle things properly.  
  
But for now, he had a trial to take care of.

* * *

  
It had been a slow day for Burnet. Not much of interest was happening in her office and despite her researchers busy work, there had been no breakthroughs in anything. She was left going through project plan after project plan, boredly looking them over. She only had the company of one of her colleague's Porygon-Z, which floated about the room almost aimlessly. Every now and then she would offer it some food, but it declined. She wondered if it even  _needed_ to eat.  
  
Then, the tablet on her desk began ringing.  
  
She glanced over to it to see who was calling. To her surprise, she found the name "Gladion" displaying under the caller ID. She smiled softly at the cute picture of when he was much younger she had set for his contact. She didn't hesitate to push the green button that accepted the call for her. On the other end was Gladion as expected, and beside him she could make out the ear of an Umbreon that was sat beside him. She gave him a friendly smile a she waved to him, "Good morning, Gladion."  
  
"Good morning, professor," he repeated back to her. She couldn't help but giggle with giddiness. At least Arceus had answered her prayers to give her something interesting to do today. She blinked as she noticed something and her smile faded, "Are you boys still at your motel room? I thought you might've departed by now." Gladion gave a sheepish look as he scratched his cheek and looked away from the camera. "W-Well...not exactly. Hau went along ahead by himself," he admitted.  
  
Burnet raised a brow at this, "He did?" Gladion nodded, "Yeah. I decided to stay behind today. The next trial site is...a bit risky." Burnet looked over her papers again, finding a miniature map of Alola underneath all her project plans. She picked it up, looking it over carefully. "You boys must be on Ula'Ula by now, right?" she asked. Gladion nodded again. "Yeah, that's right. We got here a few days ago. The next trial site is close to a location called 'Aether House'."  
  
"I see..." Burnet muttered, putting down her own map and shaking her head. She smiled at him again comfortingly. "So, I'm guessing you're just bored, then?" she giggled. Gladion's face tensed at the question. As if he was hesitating or reconsidering something. He sighed, "Actually...I called to ask you some advice." She could see his cheeks turn pink as he shyed his eyes from the camera again. Her smile faded, and she raised a brow in curiosity. "Oh? Well I suppose I could help. What's wrong?"  
  
"You asked me before why I'm travelling with Hau...and my answer wasn't  _completely_ honest."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Do you remember when you asked me to reconsider leaving? Because you said...I had something special with him?"  
  
"Yes, I recall. Is that what this is about?"  
  
"Sort of. The thing is...Hau and I are...well, we really like each other. S-So not too long ago, we confessed to each other..."  
  
Burnet blinked in utter shock. She had guessed that they were close friends, but certainly not this. Despite the fact that usually boys were not so affectionate with each other, she knew Hau was a rather physical person. Sometimes it seemed he didn't even realize this. But it couldn't be helped. His upbringing had driven him to be subconsciously desperate for attention, after all. "Oh, wow. That's...congratulations, Gladion. He must make you really happy then, huh?" she said.  
  
He nodded again, "Yeah. He does. I'm hopelessly in love, actually. It's why...when Aether pulled away from the Ferry Stations, I-"  
  
"Wait. Aether pulled back from the Ferry Stations?"  
  
"Yeah. None of us know why yet. But when we found out, we all realized that I could leave. But, I...I didn't want to."  
  
"So what did you do?"  
  
"I decided that I couldn't leave Hau behind. Not after everything that's happened. I...I don't  _wanna_ be scared of Lusamine anymore. I just wanna live here, with him."  
  
Burnet grinned. He was just too precious. All children who were lovesick puppies were just the cutest things. She could remember being so young, being so clueless and lost to these feelings. Of course, now that she was an adult, she could properly guide such youth herself with her experiences behind her. "That's wonderful, Gladion. But it doesn't sound like you need my advice," she commented, a bit confused still. Gladion swallowed hard, and she could see him sweating slightly through the screen.  
  
"W-Well, the thing is...I think I screwed up recently," he admitted. Burnet frowned. Did he perhaps flub something? Maybe it wasn't as big a deal as it may have appeared from his perspective. She prodded, "How would that be?" He sighed again, "A few days ago, we were playing around and I said something that I think kind of spooked him. He's been acting weird since." Burnet raised a brow yet again at this. She couldn't really think of anything off the top of her head, so she prodded again instead.  
  
"What did you say to him?" she asked. He hesitated for a moment. She could tell that he felt ashamed and guilty over whatever it was. She pitied him so. Love was never easy, especially not young love. Nobody ever knew what they were doing, they could boast that they did all they liked, but it was always a lie. Both parties would make mistakes. Both parties would have fears and doubts. Both parties would be so high on the feeling they crash hard when they come down. She hoped it wasn't the last one.   
  
"I was just teasing him. I said, 'You love me' or...something like that. It gets fuzzier everyday. And...he was blushing and when I asked what was wrong he insisted it was nothing. But he looked...mad, I guess? I-I'm not sure. But the next day when I asked him he said I didn't do anything wrong and that he wasn't mad. I-I don't know  _what_ to think."  
  
Her eyes widened in immediate recognition. That dreaded word. When children first fall in love, they do not know how to say it. It is the reason for the phrase, "I really like you". Over time, they come to realize how to say it. However, they do not have the courage to do so sometimes. Sometimes, it seems like a scary word. It seems like it could drive the other away. And that lead to feelings of self-consciousness, self-doubt. You began to wonder if you were even good enough for the other person.  
  
Love, a natural feeling, and yet it was still almost as horrifying as it's pitch black counterpart of hatred. It could lead people to do crazy things. Both concepts were 2 sides of the same coin. And subconsciously, kids like Gladion and Hau realized this over time. Sometimes, one might even feel inadequate for not being the first to say it. It was the biggest obstacle in youthful intimacy. One of the first steps that determined just how long things could and would last. She knew this all too well.  
  
" _That's_ the root of it."  
  
Gladion looked up at the camera again, raising a confused brow at her. "Huh?" Burnet shook her head, her lips tugging upwards only slightly as she looked at the screen again. "Love is...complicated. When a person says they love you for the first time it's...well it's a big step. It always is. I suppose Hau just wasn't really ready to hear you say it," she said. "And I'm willing to bet, you wouldn't have been ready either if he had said it to  _you_." He nodded, still blushing to himself.  
  
"Yeah...probably not. But I...I want to tell him how I really feel. I just...don't know how."  
  
"That's only natural, honey. It's ok to be scared. I was in your shoes once or twice myself, you know."  
  
"You...were?"  
  
She giggled, "Sweetie, I'm  _married_. Of course I was!"  
  
"R-Right. So, what should I do? H-How can I just...say it? W-Without scaring him again, I mean."  
  
The gears turned in Burnet's head. She had to be careful about this. Hau was an affectionate, sweet, and forgiving boy. She knew that already from Kukui and Hala on top of her own encounters with him. However, she had to keep in mind what Gladion had already told her about his reaction to the word. He was caught off-guard, certainly. And only Gladion knew if Hau was lying or not lying. But his reaction in post seemed to be a genuine apology of some sort. Almost as if he had his own doubts about things.  
  
She took a deep breath, "Well, I'll admit, there is no  _easy_ way to do this. It's going to be like ripping of a band aid. But you don't  _want_ to be scared anymore, right?" He nodded. "Well, it's best to live your life with mistakes than regrets," she stated, bluntly. She looked at the screen again, "When you tell him, you should let him know how these feelings make you feel too. Let him know that if he is scared, that he's not scared by himself." Gladion tilted his head curiously, "And...you think that will work?"  
  
Burnet giggled, "Sweetie, you have to have faith in yourself." Gladion smiled sweetly at the advice. He nodded, "Th-thanks, Burnet. I think I got it now." Burnet nodded with a satisfied smile. "Anytime, sweetie." Burnet cried out in realization as she suddenly changed the subject. "Oh! I've been meaning to ask, how's your journey going? Has Hau started the Ula'Ula trials yet?" Gladion nodded, "Y-Yeah. He passed the Electric Type trial just yesterday. The Captain gave him a Thunder Stone."  
  
"Oh, really?" Burnet asked, tilting her head curiously like a child. "Yeah, he used it to evolve his Pikachu. Oh and...we found out this Z-Crstyal I gave him was actually made for his Raichu," he explained. Burnet raised a brow curiously at this. "You gave him a Z-Crystal?" she asked. Gladion nodded again, "Tapu Koko gave it to me. It was a couple days after I crashed on Melemele and got taken in by Hala. I didn't know what to do with it, so, I gave it to Hau."  
  
"I guess that was the right choice," she said. "Do you ever plan on taking your own trials, Gladion? Z-Moves would be a good thing for your team you know." Gladion cleared his throat before he began rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "W-Well...the thing is, I  _do_ have a Z-Ring. And...a Z-Crystal," he admitted. Her eyes widened in shock. "You do?!" she yelped. He showed off his Z-Ring for the camera so she could see, "Tapu Lele gave it to me. The Kahuna said she'd never seen one like this before."  
  
"Neither have I, to be honest, sweetie. It looks rather rare. But it does suit you~!" she cooed. She rested one of her cheeks on her hand. "But how are you gonna use it if you don't have any Z-Crystals?" she pondered. His eyes lit up, "O-Oh! I do have one! I just...don't know...how to use it. And...neither does Hau." Burnet tilted her head at him again. The situation intrigued her greatly. "Do you have it on you? Show me, I might be able to tell you what it is."  
  
Gladion reached over to his satchel bag, fishing out the Z-Crystal Hau had given him. He held it up to the camera as clearly as he could manage. Burnet squinted her eyes at it for a moment before crying out in recognition. "Oh! That's Lycanium Z!" she declared. Gladion raised a brow at this. "Lycanium...Z?" he repeated. She nodded, "It's another one of those special type of Z-Crystals. It can only be used by a Lycanroc. It turns their move Stone Edge into a Z-Move called Splintered Stormshards."  
  
"Splintered Stormshards, huh? That's strange..." he muttered. She frowned again as she stared at him curiously. "What is it, Gladion?" she asked. Their conversation was cut short before he could answer, when his Zoroark suddenly came into frame, trying to lick the screen in an attempt to lick Burnet's face. Of course, it failed miserably. Burnet giggled, "Oh my! Is that your Zoroark? He  _does_ look handsome! Hello again, little one!"  
  
The Zoroark backed off, panting like an excited dog as it's master wiped the spit off the screen with his shirt. He was pouting clearly through the camera. Burnet couldn't stifle her giggles. "Zoroark, it's just a screen, for the last time. Sheesh..." he mumbled. The blonde rolled his eyes before he began speaking again. "Oh yeah, the rest of my team has gotten pretty strong too. Everyone is evolved now." Burnet watched with intrigue as Gladion turned the camera to a certain spot in the room.  
  
A red Lycanroc sat on the couch watching cartoons, and a Crobat was dangling from the ceiling as well. Just by the bedside was Gladion's Type:Null, which she took in with much fascination. Then finally, he showed her his Umbreon beside him. It blinked at her curiously, it's bangs still obstructing a large portion of it's face. It reached out a paw to touch the screen, curious of it's contents. She giggled again the cuteness of it before Gladion pulled it back towards his face again.  
  
"Wow, everyone looks so healthy and strong! And that chimera creature...is that the Type:Full you told me about?"  
  
"It's actually technically called a Type:Null, but...i-it's real name is Alpha."  
  
"Alpha?"  
  
"The Nulls were all given code names by Professor Wicke. He was likely named Alpha because he was the leader of the pack."  
  
Burnet nodded in amazement. Despite pitying the poor creature, it was most certainly interesting. She cupped her chin in her hand as she stared off in deep thought. "Fascinating...is that a mask on it's face, as well? It looked uncomfortable." Gladion nodded, "It's to keep it from hurting itself and other people. They screwed up with their research and couldn't control them. I'd take the mask off, but that would just kill it." Burnet frowned, her eyes widening a bit.  
  
"Oh my Arceus...! That's so terrible..."  
  
"I know..."  
  
"Well, you certainly are taking good care of it. So those are all your pokémon?"  
  
"Well, yes. But there was one that was intriguing me yesterday. It wouldn't fight us and it kept following me around."  
  
"Really? What pokémon was it?"  
  
"It was-"  
  
Suddenly a loud banging noise followed by wooden cracking cut him off. Gladion turned around frantically, dropping his tablet on the floor and causing the screen to break. However, the call had not yet ended. All his pokémon immediately took into a defensive stance. The door had been broken down. Above the broken mess of wood stood a bipedal, colorful bird pokémon that cracked it's knuckles. Behind him were a trio of black and white gangsters, 2 of them being fairly young that slouched noticeably.  
  
The third was much taller, a woman he had never seen before. She had tan skin, amber eyes, and strangely colored bright pink and yellow hair. Her make up was unsightly, and it reminded him vaguely of his sister's. One of the younger boys behind her called back his pokémon, a Hawlucha, as the woman stepped inside, ordering them to stay outside the room. She put a hand on her hip, eyeing him up with almost a pitiful look. She narrowed her eyes at him.  
  
"Well well well, looks like you made a bad call staying in today, kid. Why don't you come real nice and quiet like so I can take you to see your mother?"  
  
Gladion began sweating as he stumbled back with terror. Burnet was clueless to figure out what was going on. The feed had already begun malfunctioning, and the audio from Gladion's end kept cutting up. She could barely make out the woman's words.  
Burnet was wrought with panic as she screamed from the other line. Her audio too, was cut up and hard to understand. But not as difficult as it was for her on her end. The blonde couldn't even hear it at this point, all he could hear was the ringing in his ears.  
  
"Gla-a-adion?! Gladion a-a-are you ok?! What's going o-"  
  
She was cut off as an Electric Type pokémon zapped the tablet and fried it's circuits, cutting the call off. The woman put another hand on her hip as Gladion stared at her with intensive fear the likes of which he had never felt. He knew just by looking at them. They were with the Skull Gang. But...that couldn't right. She said she intended to take him to his mother, didn't she? Didn't she pull back? Hadn't she given up? Why would she send goons to do her dirty work? This didn't make any sense!  
  
"I don't really like to do this, you know...but it's nothin' personal kid. Just  _business_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god the dreaded cliffhanger is making a comeback ;w;  
> Hey Plumeria you better pay for that door fam so rude omg >w>


	49. Chapter 48 - Sticks And Stones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plumeria comes to Gladion's doorstep to collect him and his Type:Null, however, it seems he refuses to go down without a fight.

"So, let me get this straight..."  
  
Moon was sat in a run-down Police Station, across the man she had just battled. Her newly evolved Primarina was at her side to display her victory over her Grand Trial. Things had long since de-escalated with his invitation to participate in an investigation he was apparently conducting. He was certainly an interesting man since she laid eyes on him. And their talk was even  _more_ interesting. They both learned interesting things about one another, things both thought they would either take to their grave or would slip from their fingers.  
  
"You're some kind of spy or something, keeping a close eye on the Skull Gang. The only reason you don't bust down their door is because you; Are not an officer, don't have a warrant,  _and_ , you pity this manchild and all the kids he's taken in."  
  
She didn't wait for an answer before she continued.  
  
"And you're in cahoots with Guzma to stage some kind of elaborate legal coup against the Aether Foundation president, and you want to find her son so you can put him under witness protection."  
  
Nanu nodded, not skipping a beat as he didn't once draw his eye contact from Moon. "That's the general gist, yes." Moon raised a brow, narrowing her eyes at him as she crossed her arms. She had already decided a while ago now that Kahunas were most likely their best bet in case of emergencies. After all, they worked closely with the island guardians. And Gladion himself was certain enough that at least Hala could and would help him. However, this whole situation stunk badly.  
  
Frankly, she had a hard time believing that Guzma cared about the kids in his care. Criminals were just that. Criminals. Always out for themselves. Canonfodder was all these kids were to him, that was the only thing that made any sense to her. And this Kahuna certainly wasn't very credible. After all, it was difficult just to convince him to get up and do her Grand Trial. He didn't help his own case in the least bit. This was certainly not up to debate for Moon, he couldn't possibly be trusted.  
  
"Listen buddy, first thing's first, you must be a blind old bat if you think Guzma gives a shit about anybody that works for him. These Skull Gang lackeys are nothing but trouble. Do you honestly believe he's a  _good_ influence on them?"  
  
"You're young. So you probably don't think anything I say makes any sense."  
  
"Second you- Wait...what did you just say?"  
  
"Little lady, I used to be an officer on the force. I can tell by your mannerisms and nasty looks you think I'm either lying or crazy."  
  
"Well you are!"  
  
"This goes beyond whatever bubble it is you're stuck in. So allow me to put it into perspective for you."  
  
Moon eased up her glare, un-nerved by his accurate guess as she shut her mouth. He didn't break eye contact still as he continued. "We as Kahunas have a duty to protect pokémon  _and_ people. That includes kids like this boy. Kids like you. I'm not an idiot, I'm probably much smarter than you," he said, bluntly. Moon was about to retort, but he interrupted her as he kept on going. "You're on top of the world, so you think you know everything. But you don't know the truth of the matter."  
  
"Wh-what truth would  _that_ be?" she stuttered. It was almost frightening how well he could see through her. Did all adults have the ability to look through her like this? Maybe he really was just that smart. "That only adults can safely handle this situation, whatever it is. I work closely with Guzma not because I'm naive. It's because I'm not an idiot. Someone has to keep an eye on him, I know that," he explained bluntly yet again. Moon pouted a this, still stuck on the collusion.  
  
"But he's a  _criminal_ -!"  
  
"The world isn't black and white, little lady. Nothing revolves around your little moral compass. Are you going to accept that, or not?"  
  
She stared at him nervously with a sheepish look. She really had nothing for this. Adults almost always had her on things like this. Her mother was certainly an immaculate arguer. She sighed heavily in defeat. "I'll only tell you what you wanna know  _if_ you can guarantee me that nothing bad will happen to my friends," she demanded. The request was odd and missing context, which is why it raised a brow from the Kahuna. He scratched his head, groaning tiredly.  
  
"Well,  _that_ should go without saying. You're all kids, after all."   
  
Moon nodded looking down at the table nervously. She took a deep breath.  
  
"First thing's first...he's not alone."

* * *

  
All of Gladion's pokémon were completely on edge, including Alpha. They were all ready to strike at any moment if the threatening woman dared to get too close. Gladion tried hard to compose himself, shaking his head and glaring as best he could at her. "Wh-who are you? How did you find me?!" he demanded. The woman furrowed her brows at this. "I'm Plumeria, Admin of the Skull Gang. And how we found you  _don't_ matter. Be a good boy and put your toys away. It's time to go home."  
  
He shook his head, "That's not happening!" Plumeria took a careful, single step forward which only provoked the growls of the blonde's pokémon even more. "Listen kid, there is no option B. Don't be stupid," she said, almost as if begging him. Gladion shook his head again, "No! I won't go with you! Turn back now while you still have the chance, and tell my mother she can shove it!" Plumeria gave him a slight glare as she sweat a bit. He had no clue what this woman was thinking.  
  
"Don't bother making empty threats, Gladion. None of your pokémon are strong enough to take mine. Just spare them the torment and come nice and quietly."  
  
"Over my dead body!"  
  
Plumeria breathed through her nose a heavy breath. It was like she was struggling to keep her emotions in check. She pulled out a pokéball, glaring him down. "If you  _really_ want me to arrange that, then I guess you leave me no choice. Just know that you're the one who picked the  _hard_ way," she snapped. She glanced around the small room and turned her eyes towards the front door. "Let's do this outside, hm? I'm not one for cramped spaces..." she muttered.  
  
Gladion turned his attention towards his pokémon, holding his hands up to gain their attention. They all stared at him in confusion, not really understanding why he was turning his back to the intruder. Oddly, she didn't strike. "Hey, everyone stay calm. I'll be fine, so long as you all give it your best. I'll need all of you to be focused. Can you do that for me?" he cooed. All of them eased up, though reluctantly so. He gave them all a sad look, before calling them back into their pokéballs, including Alpha.  
  
Plumeria shuffled outside, much to the confusion of the grunts beside her. Gladion recognized them both immediately, and vice versa. But none of them exchanged words. Gladion simply ignored them and followed Plumeria outside. The grunts stood to the side, but they were clearly uncomfortable with what was unfolding. "H-Hey, boss, we really should just get 'im to the-" Slink tried to reason. But he was silenced as Plumeria snapped at him, " _Shut it_. I need to focus."  
  
Neither grunt had any further protest with that. Perhaps out of fear, or perhaps out of respect. Gladion didn't know, and he certainly didn't care. Plumeria pushed the button on her pokéball as Gladion pulled out one of his own. They stared each other down for a long and agonizing moment. Then, they tossed both their pokéballs into the air to summon their partners. Gladion's Crobat flew out of the light that escaped his ball, screeching with a battle cry as it glared down it's opponent.  
  
The opposing party much resembled a woman at a masquerade ball. It's hands were made of bouquets of roses. Upon first glance, Gladion could tell it was most likely a Grass Type.  _Best to test that out first..._  he thought. "Crobat, start us off with Air Slash!" he commanded. Plumeria's eyes narrowed, "Roserade, put him out with Grass Whistle." The aforementioned Roserade flicked it's grass scarf over it's shoulder and pressed it against it's mouth, blowing into it to create a soothing sound.  
  
The whistle made Crobat's eyelids heavy. It tried it's best to stay awake and carry out it's order, but it slowly glided down to the ground as it slept with a loud snore. Gladion's eyes widened as he began to sweat nervously. He growled in irritation as Plumeria carried out her next attack. "Now, use Petal Blizzard." Roserade began shaking it's bouquet, shaking loose petals from it's flowers almost endlessly as a strong wind began to kick up. It carried the petals in a merciless attack on the sleeping Crobat.  
  
It suffered damage, but it was still sound asleep somehow. And as expected, it barely made a dent. However, it seemed Plumeria was banking on it's inability to defend itself to be enough to make up for the lack of power. "Petal Blizzard, again!" she bellowed. Once again, Crobat was hit with an array of sharp petals. All Gladion could do was try to wake it. But it was no use. "Crobat, you have to get up!" he begged. But still, it slept. The attack was repeated once more, sending it flying backwards this time.  
  
However, it was jimmied awake by the third blow as it cried out in pain. It hissed in irritation, pulling itself up into the air. It had been left with a considerable dent, despite it's resistance to the attacks. Gladion didn't waste any time take advantage of this. "Crobat, use Air Slash! Don't give her time to put you out again!" Crobat acted fast to follow it's master's orders, slashing into the air with all 4 of it's wings to send shock waves at the Roserade. It managed to dodge the first, but was hit by the second in succession.  
  
It was knocked back, falling with a hard crash. The blow left it considerably damaged as it pulled itself back up. "R-Raaade..." it coughed, widening it's stance. "Kh..." Plumeria clicked her tongue in agitation. She had to put this thing down and quickly. "Grass Whistle!" she commanded. "Air Slash!" Roserade was interrupted in her movements as she was forced to try to dodge the attack. She managed to successfully avoid it, only slipping past the shock waves by a single hair. Or rather, petal.  
  
_Damn...he won't let me pull that trick again. And Roserade is at a real disadvantage here. I gotta pull out more power if I wanna beat this thing...  
  
_Reluctantly, Plumeria gave out her next order. "Roserade, use Petal Dance!" Roserade began spinning rapidly as petals scattered around it. It spun too fast for the Crobat to keep up. Crobat was hit by an array of kicks and blows as sharp petals pierced it's skin and cut into it. The attack was brutal, and despite the resistance, the Crobat suffered great damage from it. Once the Roserade had concluded it's onslaught, it landed on the ground. It breathed heavily, the attack almost exhausting it.  
  
"Crobat, are you alright?!"  
  
"Cro!"  
  
"Alright then, Air Slash, again!"  
  
The Crobat attempted to hit the Roserade with another bout of it's Air Slash. However, it dodged the shock waves yet again as it repeated it's attack with no direction from Plumeria. Crobat did it's best to endure the second round of the viscous attack. However, one of it's wings was snapped by a blow in the Roserade's deadly dance. It's movements slowed, and it was unable to keep itself much higher in the air than Gladion's head. The Roserade was struggling to stand straight now, but it wasn't dazed.  
  
Gladion noticed this. "Crobat, I know you're tired but I need you dodge that attack. I have a theory but I need you to follow through with me on this one." The Crobat nodded, carefully watching the Roserade's movements. Once again, it began it's attack, moving the exact same way it had before. The perfect trap. Crobat had memorized it's pattern of dance by now. And thanks to this, it was able to successfully dodge every blow fired off from the dance. A few petals scraped it again, but it could endure.  
  
When the Roserade landed once more, it was swaying and wobbling. In it's rapid spinning and constant barrage of movement, it had dazed itself. Gladion smirked, "So, I was right." Plumeria glared at him, "What the hell was that?" Gladion frowned at her, crossing his arms indignantly. "I could tell just by watching your Roserade. That attack was taking  _something_ out of it. But what, I wasn't entirely sure. But now I know, a consequence of that attack is self-inflicted Confusion."  
  
Plumeria growled, annoyed he had figured it out so quickly. He was definitely no amateur like she theorized. Gladion pointed his finger at the Roserade to direct his Crobat one last time, "Crobat, use Air Slash and take it down!" Crobat nodded, slicing into the air with it's remaining wings. This made the shock waves less powerful, but they were able to knock the Roserade down as it was unable to dodge both hits that came at it. It's eyes swirled as it groaned in pain and defeat.  
  
Plumeria scoffed angrily again, calling back her fainted companion. She pulled out another pokéball, "You may have taken out my Roserade, but that Crobat of yours can't stand on it's feet forever." She tossed the ball into the air, and a surprisingly vibrantly colored sludge monster escaped the light. It was mostly just goop and gunk, but it had small blue eyes that Gladion could make out. It's gapping maw had no teeth to speak of, but lodged in between all the goop were what appeared to be small white rocks.  
  
It bled with the colors of a dull green, a deep indigo, and vibrant yellow and pink. From top to bottom, the green, yellow, and pink were all separated by a thin line of indigo. It was certainly an interesting looking creature. And disgusting, at that. It moved slowly as it swayed it's large arm-like appendages back and forth. Even with the clear equal footing between them, Gladion knew that Plumeria was right. Then, he remembered something. He reached into his bag, pulling out a strange looking orange and yellow berry.  
  
It much resembled a dreidel in shape. He took a deep breath.  _Here goes nothing..._ he thought. Gladion called out to his Crobat, tossing the berry to it, "Crobat, catch!" The Crobat was quick to respond, catch the berry in it's mouth and chewing it up instantly. Gladion stared nervously for a moment, sweat beading down the side of his face. Then, slowly, Crobat's broken wing began to heal, along with half of it's wounds. He let out a sigh of relief, turning his attention back to his opponent.  
  
"Hmph, doesn't matter. It's still weak enough. Muk, Rock Slide!" she declared. The Muk began manifesting large rocks through it's goopy skin. Gladion's eyes widened, and he cried out to his Crobat desperately. "Dodge it!" Crobat obeyed this order. Having been healed, it's movements were more fluid as it managed to dodge each and every rock tossed it's way. "Use Air Slash!" Crobat cut into the air again, this time it's attack wasn't handicapped by a broken wing and it could use it's full power.  
  
Unfortunately, this didn't put much of a dent in the Muk. Still, it was a start. Plumeria growled angrily, "Rock Slide, again!" Crobat tried it's best to dodge the attack, but it was hit by a stray rock the Muk had thrown at it. The attack damaged it greatly, sending it to the ground. Thankfully, none of it's wings were broken again. But it still took quite a beating from the blow it had received. Slowly, it pulled itself up, it's flapping slowed by it's exhaustion as it coughed.  
  
Gladion had already dried himself of healing items. He and the younger boy had already agreed that Hau would hold the majority of those. All he had on him were agents to counteract specific status effects. And even then, he had very few to work with. He'd just have to make do. "Crobat, heal yourself with Leech Life!" he commanded. Crobat obeyed the order, sinking it's teeth into the goopy mess as best as it could and sucking the life out of it. Only a quarter of it's wounds were healed by the time it was done.  
  
"Knock it off with Brick Break!" Plumeria shouted. The Muk turned it's hand, chopping the Crobat and knocking it away. The attack barely scuffed it, and it narrowly avoided having it's wings hit by a hair. It screeched back at it. "Leech Life, again!" Before the Crobat could act however, Plumeria gave her own order. "Block it with Rock Slide!" Once again the Muk began throwing rocks at the Crobat to distract it. The Crobat put all it's focus into dodging, unable to carry out the order it was given.  
  
Gladion was getting apprehensive at this point. There had to be some way to get around this. His Crobat wouldn't always be able to dodge every single rock. He had to think of an alternative, and fast. Their equal footing had all been obliterated by that  _one_ move. Suddenly, an idea clicked in his head as he came up with a novel idea. If he couldn't avoid the rocks, he'd just have to tear them all down instead. After all, when the walls were closing in, he opted to break them down rather than push them back.  
  
"Rock Slide, again!"  
  
"Break through it with Air Slash!"  
  
Crobat screeched, rapidly slicing into the air to break apart any rocks that came it's way. By the end of the attack, none had so much as grazed it. "Air Slash again, target the Muk!" Before Muk could act, another onslaught of shock waves came it's way and damaged it. It was starting to appear exhausted. Plumeria knew she couldn't keep this up for very long. So instead, she opted for the easy way out of all this.  _If she's going down, so are you, kid..._ she thought.  
  
Both of them knew their pokémon were down for the count. Without even knowing it, they had agreed on this prospect. And so had their pokémon. Gladion drew in a sharp breath, hesitant to sacrifice his Crobat like some pawn. But he had no choice. "Crobat, Poison Fang!" he yelled. "Brick Break!" Plumeria responded. Crobat swooped down towards the Muk, fangs ready as it's mouth unhinged. The Muk was readying it's arm to strike the Crobat, it's movements slowed from it's exhaustion.  
  
Simultaneously, they had struck. Crobat bit down into the Muk with it's last ounce of strength, as the Muk itself used it's last bit of energy to chop into the Crobat. This time, one of it's wings had been broken again by the blow. Both the blow and the bite rendered both pokémon spent of their adrenaline. They both sank to the floor in a beaten and painful mess. The Muk seemed to melt, while Crobat just lay on the ground unconscious and unresponsive. Both parties had lost.  
  
Both trainers called back their fallen pokémon, Gladion now tense that he had lost a party member. Still, he had her down by 2. He was sure he could swing this if he kept on focusing and didn't let his losses distract him. Plumeria called out her next pokémon quickly, calling out it's name as she tossed it's ball into the air, "Gengar, let's play!" A large and monstrous purple pokémon that looked like the face of nightmares came out of the light. It had a chilling grin and beaming red eyes.  
  
Gladion raised a brow, recognizing the pokémon by name.  _A Ghost Type?_ he wondered. He reached into his bag for another pokéball, quickly tossing it out to call out his pokémon. However, he was confused when his Umbreon had appeared. He blinked, "Huh...? I thought I grabbed Zoroark's ball..." he muttered. Plumeria raised a brow at him, unable to hear what he was saying from her distance away from him. He shook his head.  _Whatever, Umbreon is still a Dark Type. He can handle this_ Gladion thought.  
  
"Umbreon, use-"  
  
"Gengar, Dazzling Gleam!"  
  
Both Umbreon and Gladion both were frozen with absolute fear and disbelief. The Gengar began cackling a maniacal, horrifying laugh as it's massive tongue hung out of it's mouth almost uncontrollably. It darted forward, engulfing itself in a bright and blinding rainbow shining light that was primarily white. Gladion had to shield his eyes it was so bright. The light itself became prickly shards as it blasted the Umbreon backwards.  
  
The blow was massive, and incredibly powerful at that. It sent the Umbreon flying right into it's master's arms. It was completely battered after the hit, almost entirely out of energy. Gladion stared down at it worriedly, "U-Umbreon!" The exhausted pokémon looked up at him, and without a word, changed form as it shifted into a certain bipedal fox pokémon. It smiled up at him with a pained groan. Tears pricked at his eyes as he gasped. "Z-Zoroark...!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Zoro...ark..."  
  
It lost consciousness, unable to stay awake or move any longer. Plumeria blinked.  _A pokémon that can disguise itself?_ she wondered. Gladion shakily called back his fainted Zoroark as Plumeria's glare began to falter. She really didn't want to be doing this. "Do you get it yet, kid? You can't beat me. Just give up before more of your pokémon get hurt," she said, still a hint of pleading in her voice. He scowled and shook his head. "N-No way! I won't let my mother's nonsense stand anymore!" he shouted.  
  
"Is  _that_ why you ran away?"  
  
"How did you-"  
  
"I'm not an idiot, kid. Just give up this whole tough guy act and come quietly."  
  
"Never! I have something to fight for now. And I won't let the likes of you take it from me!"  
  
Gladion took out a Great Ball, tossing it into the air to call out his companion. "Lycanroc, show your fangs!" Lycanroc landed on the ground with a howl. It snarled at the Gengar viciously, who only snapped back playfully, seeming to enjoy itself. Gladion narrowed his eyes at the Gengar.  _I don't know much about Gengar, but her pattern so far appears to be Poison Types_ he deduced mentally. Plumeria raised a brow at his choice. But she didn't ask questions. She just had to put this kid down and fast.  
  
"Gengar, Sludge Bomb!" Plumeria commanded. "Lycanroc?" Gladion called. Lycanroc glanced back at him. Gladion scowled hard, "Corner it with Earth Power!" It nodded, turning it's attention towards the Gengar as it punched it's fist into the ground. The Earth below their feet began quaking, and a bit of the pavement outcropped upwards into the Gengar, piercing it's skin and damaging it immensely. It flopped backwards onto it's back in pain. The attack was strong,  _very_ strong. But it wasn't out yet.  
  
"Grrr...! Gengar, Sludge Bomb!" she repeated. Gengar leapt forward, spitting out a large ball of sludge onto the Lycanroc that it couldn't dodge. It growled in pain and tried to soften the blow by blocking it with it's arms. It coughed, pulling it's arms down and revealing it's face had gone blue. It choked and hacked, breathing raggedly after the forceful impact of the attack. "Dammit...!" Gladion cursed under his breath. He had to end this, fast. "Earth Power, again!" Gladion commanded.  
  
Once again, Lycanroc slammed it's fist into the ground. However, nothing happened. It tried to repeat the attack but nothing came of it. Plumeria smirked, "Sorry kid. Looks like Gengar's ability disabled your little trump card. Gengar, Shadow Ball!" Gengar manifested a black-purple ball in it's hands firing it at Lycanroc who was still distracted by it's move's failure. It bore the full impact of the attack, but thankfully, it was still left standing. It growled irritably as the poison coursed through it.  
  
Gladion winced. Unfortunately, among the status effect remedies he had, poison was not one he was able to cure. He just had to stick this out.  _Damn! That was my only advantage...I gotta think of something, fast. Umbreon isn't strong enough to take on that Gengar, it's too fast!_ He stopped his thoughts as his eyes suddenly widened.  _Wait a minute..._ He glanced down at his Z-Ring before looking up at his Lycanroc again. He knew he had to try everything he could.  
  
"Lycanroc, Howl!" he commanded. The Lycanroc let out a loud howl, and it was enveloped in a red aura as it felt it's power increase. Gladion reached into his bag again as Plumeria gave out her next order. "Shadow Ball, again!" Lycanroc was able to dodge it this time, however, Gladion was left to have to duck out of the way as well. He did so successfully, quickly pulling out his Z-Crystal and inserting it into the slot on his ring. He stood back up, glaring at Plumeria with determination.  
  
He took a deep breath to prepare himself. He had never attempted this feat before. He only knew a few of the dances from Hau's training sessions and Grand Trials, among other battles he had had before. The blonde didn't really know the right way to go about it other than the examples he had observed. But he knew he couldn't let that barrier stop him. He had to  _try_. Plumeria took a nervous step back as Gladion tapped his Z-Crystal, causing his Lycanroc to be engulfed in it's aura.  
  
It growled viciously, feeling more powerful than it had ever felt before. Gladion began mimicking the rugged dance he had seen Olivia perform, his Lycanroc matching the movements perfectly in time. They were completely in sync. Once the spectacle had concluded, Lycanroc felt completely invigorated. It howled as a large shard of rock grew out of the ground and lifted it into the air. For a moment, it seemed the day had faded and a full moon graced the night sky. A hallucination perhaps?  
  
It howled as more bits of rock lifted into the skies above the Gengar. The frightened ghost pokémon looked around frantically, for once, it's smug smile was completely gone. Plumeria bit her lower lip nervously as the grunts on the side were left shaking in their sneakers. Lycanroc jumped up into the air, snarling down at the Gengar. The shards of rock stopped moving, and all flipped  their sharpest ends to point towards the Gengar. Gladion pointed his finger at him, as he called out the attack.  
  
**_"SPLINTERED STORMSHARDS!!!"  
  
_**Without a moment's hesitation, Lycanroc dove down as the shards came crashing in on the Gengar from all sides. It wasn't able to dodge any of them, especially not Lycanroc as it slammed into it. Bit of broken rock scattered across the pavement, and the tall tower Lycanroc had manifested crumbled onto the streets. The werewolf pokémon landed safely near it's master's side once it's onslaught had finished. It took a minute for the dust to settle completely as the attack was massive.  
  
Once it did however, the result had been settled. Gengar lay on it's back in a heap of rock, it's eyes swirled from exhaustion. It was knocked unconscious completely from the massive blow. Plumeria cursed under her breath, calling back her pokémon with immense irritation. Lycanroc's breathing was still labored, as the poison caused it to flinch in pain again. The next pokémon she called out caught Gladion for a bit of a loop however. "Crobat, take to the skies!" she called.  
  
And just as she said, a Crobat came flying out of her pokéball. He stared in mild shock as he raised a brow at her.  _She has a Crobat too? It **is** a Poison Type... _he thought. He quickly dispelled this thought, focusing his mind on the battle instead. "Take it out of the air with Stone Edge!" he commanded. Lycanroc nodded, slamming it's fist into the ground again to cause pillars of rocks to rise out of the ground that slowly lead up to the Crobat. "Dodge it, then use Venoshock!" she commanded.  
  
The Crobat obeyed, swerving between the protruding rocks until it got close enough to the Lycanroc to attack. Once it was in range, it spit out a purple acidic liquid onto it's face, flying out of range again as it yelped in pain. Gladion's eyes widened, "Lycanroc!" The canine pokémon stumbled back, trying to rub the stinging substance off it's eyes. It was successful, but it was still badly damaged. It was slouching over quite a bit now, tiredly breathing. It winced in pain again as the poison kept spreading.  
  
"Roc..." it gasped, still keeping one open eye trained on the Crobat. The overwhelming power Plumeria displayed was starting to eat at Gladion. He didn't know what to do. Lycanroc wouldn't make it much longer in it's condition and he had no cure. He wasn't sure why, but that last attack did far more damage than normal. He suspected it had something to do with it's condition, though. "Crunch it!" he ordered. Plumeria was quick to the draw as she called out to her Crobat again.  
  
"Use Protect!"  
  
Suddenly, the Crobat surrounded itself in a protective bubble as it folded it's wings together. Despite this, Lycanroc still attempted to bite it. But it couldn't break the bubble. It was forced to jump back and give up it's attack. It winced again, coughing and hacking up a lot more now. It felt so sick it could hardly see straight. "It's time to end this. Venoshock, again!" Plumeria commanded. "Lycanroc, dodge it!" The poor sickly pokémon was unable to follow through on this order.  
  
It was too disoriented by the poison's effects. Too weak to move fast enough. Another splash of the painful liquid sprayed onto it's body and it yelped in pain. It fell to the ground on it's belly with a hard crash. It's tongue hung out of it's mouth tiredly as it's drool began to spill onto the pavement. Gladion's resolve began to shake. Another one of his pokémon had been defeated. He only had 2 left, and he wasn't sure how many more Plumeria was working with. Still, he would avoid using  _him_ at all costs.  
  
He called back his Lycanroc, tossing out a different pokéball this time. Once again, from the light came an Umbreon. This time, he was certain it was the right one as it turned it's head to peer at him curiously for a brief moment. "Umbreon, attack it with Pursuit!" Umbreon nodded, enveloping itself in a dark aura as it jumped into the air and slammed into the Crobat, bruising it a bit. It jumped back onto the ground, barking in challenge as it growled. "Bre! Breon!"  
  
Plumeria just shook her head, "You only got yourself to blame for this, kid." The statement was curious. However, he had no time to retort before she pointed towards the sky. "Crobat, give it everything you have and use Fly!" Crobat soared high into the air, almost reaching cloud it seemed. Gladion decided not to wait for it to come down, and gave Umbreon another order. "Knock it down with Swift!" An array of dark stars formed, almost resembling meteorites with how dark they were.  
  
They even burned like rock as they were shot into the air. The Crobat began it's descent downwards as the attack was fired. However, it managed to dodge every last star that came it's way. Umbreon cried out in absolute shock, unable to react as it was slammed into at full force by the Crobat. The attack left the bat pokémon itself unscathed, but Umbreon was laying in a miniature crater, scratched all to hell from the blow. "B-Breee..." it groaned, struggling to pull itself back up.  
  
"Y-You can do this, Umbreon...get up...!" Gladion pleaded. It was taking almost everything in him not to burst into tears. He wouldn't give that to these thugs. Umbreon pulled itself up, it's red eyes glowing with anger. "Are you alright...?" he asked, timidly. Umbreon nodded, glancing back at him again with a hopeful look. "Bre." Gladion pointed to the Crobat again, "Use Swift, again!" The small black pokémon manifested another array of black stars, firing them towards the Crobat.  
  
"Leech Life!"  
  
Crobat dodged the stars again, diving for the Umbreon and biting into it. It began sucking the life out of it as it struggled painfully. It was growing progressively weaker, and soon it's legs gave out. Once the Crobat was done taking it's fill to heal itself, it flew back. The Umbreon tried to get up again, but it failed miserably. It had no energy to fight anymore. Gladion bit his lip. Now he was starting to panic. He called back his Umbreon, whispering an apology it couldn't hear as he took out his last pokéball.  
  
This was it. There was nothing else that he could fight with. Even with it's mass strength, it was debatable that it could win this. Would he regret it? The last time he put it in battle, they came out successful. But there were still consequences outside of that. And this woman was no mere grunt. She had skill and wits. He shook his head again. No matter what, he couldn't just give up. He wouldn't lay down and take it like some dog. He threw the ball into the air, wiping the tears from his eyes.  
  
"Alpha, lend me your strength!"  
  
Plumeria was in awe as she took in the Type:Null for the first time in person. It seemed much bigger than in the photographs. But she wasn't sure. Her memory was failing her. One thing was for sure, it was incredibly intimidating. She winced, "I'm not really supposed to scuff that one up, kid. Your mother would prefer I bring it in completely in tact." Gladion scowled at this. "Yeah? Are you her little lap dog or something? You idiots know she doesn't care about you, right?"  
  
Her stern demeanor faltered a bit. "Whatever it is she offered you, she's not interested in giving it to you. All she cares about are her Ultra Beasts. Anybody else is worthless canonfodder to her. That includes her own children, which I'm sure you're already  _well_ aware of." Something about his tone un-nerved her. Before he seemed to be losing his confidence. He was full of fear an uncertainty. But now, it was like his rage covered all of that. He glared at her harshly as he sneered in disgust.  
  
"I don't care what your reasons are. I'm putting an end to this. Alpha, TRI ATTACK!!!" Alpha widened it's stance, 3 balls of energy forming in the air in a triangular formation in front of it. One was sparking with electricity, another burning with fire, and the last one sparkling with ice. All 3 orbs fired into the Crobat. The second orb, the yellow one, scattered and spread a static wave across it's body that locked up it's muscles to the point that it's lower wings were immobile. It became near impossible for it to move.  
  
Plumeria's eyes were wide with shock now. In just seconds, the kid had turned the tables. The grunts were still left taking in the Type:Null's appearance in full. "Damn, so  _this_ is that powerful pokémon the boss was after," Chunk commented. Slink nodded, seeming a little  _too_ interested in the creature. "Looks might expensive. Think I could get some good money for it?" Plumeria snapped at them again. "Shut your pie holes!" she hissed. They gulped and shut their mouths obediently once again.  
  
She turned her attention towards Gladion again. She couldn't get distracted, no matter how much confidence the kid had. Perhaps there was a way to take this creature down  _without_ scuffing it up too much. "Crobat, Leech Life!" she commanded. The Crobat tried to move, but it failed. It wasn't able to break through the paralysis that locked up it's muscles. It screeched in agony, unable to carry out it's order properly. Gladion didn't even blink as he gave his next command.  
  
"Iron Head..." he said, his tone completely devoid of mercy. Alpha charged forward, slamming it's head into the Crobat and knocking it into the ground. It screeched in pain and was left with a nasty bruise. Plumeria began to sweat as she became all the more anxious. The kid seemed fed up. His heart was filled with a desire for vengeance the likes of which was only comparable to Lillie's own guileless spirit. Perhaps she had broken him. She didn't want to be brutal, but she didn't know how else to get him to back down.  
  
Normally, it wouldn't be so easy for him to snap like this. But his emotional state had taken a toll. For once, he felt fed up with the corner he was backed into constantly. After wave after wave of Aether and the Skull Gang chipping away at his sanity. It was what drove him to snap at Burnet so suddenly upon their second meeting. He had Hau to keep him in check. Especially after falling in love with him. However, his frustration had been completely drawn out of him.  
  
The whole point of staying home was to avoid detection for Arceus sake! Thanks to his foolish thinking, he's put a target on his own back. And therefore, a target on Hau's back. He couldn't have this. Hau didn't deserve to go through this again. Gladion  _refused_ to let his mother tear him away from him now. Especially not when he had to tell him the truth. He wouldn't let these people take him. And he wouldn't let his mother get away with this. She would pay for everything she put him through.  
  
He didn't wait for Plumeria to make another move. "Iron Head..." he spit again. Plumeria was quick to act however. "Crobat, pull it together! Use Fly!" Crobat managed to power through it's paralysis, taking to the skies again as it screeched. Alpha took a couple of steps back, grunting wearily. But it stood it's ground. The Crobat came flying down at immaculate speeds, despite it's paralyzed state. Gladion showed no emotion as he uttered the next attack.   
  
"Take it down with Air Slash..."  
  
Alpha reared up, slashing into the air with the restrained fins on it's head. However, the Crobat dodged both shock waves as they came. Before Alpha could attempt to dodge, the Crobat slammed into it head-on with great impact. Alpha slid back, the force driving it backwards with it's immense power. The Crobat retreated to it's master's side upon succession. Alpha lifted it's head up, growling low in irritation. The growl itself under it's mask sounding terrifying enough to chill both the Crobat  _and_ Plumeria.  
  
Suddenly, everyone heard a loud  _crack_.  
  
Plumeria looked up, realizing the sound was coming from the Null. It's mask had a small crack in it. Her eyes widened in terror. Thanks to the president, she knew all-too-well it's mask was essential to keeping it in check. Sure, if a Null had it's mask torn off, it would die. But not before it went on a blood-thirsty rampage  _first_. The blonde was snapped out of his trance of rage as he realized this as well. He gasped in horror as the sound continued, getting louder as the crack expanded.  
  
Plumeria couldn't help the sweat beading down her face. She tried her best not to look intimidated, but deep down, she was terrified. She growled in irritation and in a poor attempt to show she was not afraid of this creature. Alpha began grunting and huffing, shaking it's head around wildly. It was becoming more and more erratic.  _It's losing control of itself...I gotta get outta here!_ Plumeria thought. But her legs wouldn't move. The grunts were shaking in terror again as they swallowed hard.  
  
For Gladion, the whole world had begun spinning.  _No! This can't be happening! Not now! Not like this!_ he panicked. Images of the Null he had left behind at the Aether Foundation began flashing in his head. The Null he had sacrificed to get them this far. Was it really all going to be in vain like this? Had he truly been this careless? He failed them. He failed all of them. He shook his head as tears came to his eyes.  _No...! I won't accept that!_ he thought. He stepped forward, reaching an arm out to his companion.  
  
"ALPHA, NO-!"  
  
A loud snap was heard as the mask suddenly shattered into pieces and hit the ground. It's face was finally revealed. It had a similar resemblance to a bird in it's face, but it still maintained a mechanical android-like look in it's features. It had a blunt snout resembling a beak, the bridge of it's nose entirely metallic as well as it's upper jaw. It's silver, pupil-less eyes had a black mask around it that extended down to it's nose. On each of it's cheeks was a strange looking round device that resembled screws almost.  
  
It had small, pointed ears, the insides of which coated with red and black. It's long silvery mane extended down to it's chest where it's shoulders began. At the very top of it's head was a large crest that curved upwards. At the tip of the crest was a metal hook. And from the back stuck 3 glowing, white feathers. It was truly a majestic site to behold. And yet, both parties couldn't even admire this. Plumeria was still frozen with fear, while Gladion had already begun sobbing in mourning.  
  
But they both quickly realized something. Alpha wasn't moving. Just breathing and grunting. From Gladion's experience, the trigger was instant. Granted, the Null he had set loose in the Aether Foundation had an aggressive nature, but he hardly thought that played into the timing of it's rampage. No...Alpha simply wasn't feeling the effects. But why? Gladion blinked, his tears still flowing from his face. "A...Alpha?" he called, his voice broken, desperately hoping his hunch was right.  
  
Alpha turned it's head to look at it's companion curiously. It's eyes held familiarity and sympathy. There wasn't a shred of rage, disorientation, or even blind hatred. Just...his companion. His eyes widened as he was overcome with relief and joy. "Oh my Arceus..." he whispered. Plumeria snapped, both out of confusion and fear. None of this made sense! Did the president just feed her all that crap to psyche her out? "What the hell?!" she shouted.  
  
The blonde boy ignored her, instead stepping closer to his companion. "Alpha, you're not going berserk. How is this-" he stopped himself as he stopped in his tracks. Yet again an old memory played back in his head like a movie. He could vividly hear Wicke's voice as it all came rushing back to him.  
  
_"Evolution is not so simple, you know."  
_  
_"Why's that, Miss Wicke?"  
  
"Well, you see child, evolution can be affected by all  **sorts** of things."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Liiike the weather. Or an object. And sometimes, evolution is affected by the bond you share with your partner~!"  
  
"So...if I make really good friends with Cleffy, she might evolve someday?"  
  
"Maybe~"_  
  
He stared at Alpha slowly as his eyes lit up. Everything had clicked perfectly into place. "That's the key.  _That's_ what was missing!" he exclaimed. Alpha didn't seem to understand as it tilted it's head at him. Gladion continued, "You needed a strong bond with humans in order to overcome your shackles!" Alpha stared at him for a moment. As if processing this explanation. Then, it nodded. Plumeria absorbed all this as well. It eased her nerves as she understood what the kid was saying perfectly.  
  
_No wonder that psychopath could never figure out how to make them work, she's so black hearted she couldn't even bond with a stuffed animal.  
  
_She stepped forward, "So... _this_ is that Type:Full the big boss lady was talkin' about." Gladion turned his head to look at her again. He had almost forgotten she was even there he was so caught up in Alpha's new form. It took him a moment to process what she had even said he was so distracted. But once he did, he scowled again. He stepped back, placing himself behind Alpha again. "... _No_ ," he hissed. Plumeria blinked at this answer. She couldn't help but raised a brow, "Huh?"  
  
Gladion's face darkened as he gripped his left wrist. He stared down at it intensively. That was when Plumeria remembered the story Lillie had told her and Guzma and she gave him a look of pity. "Type:Full...that's a name of the past," he growled. Hau's words ran through his mind like a broken record player.  _The past doesn't matter anymore, the past doesn't matter anymore, the past doesn't matter anymore_. It was a constant loop. One that he took to heart. He glared up at her again, still keeping his grip on his wrist.  
  
"My Null and I didn't earn our strength through our fear of the past. We earned it with our ambitions for the future! That name...it's  _meaningless_. As is it's current one."  
  
Once again he was getting fired up, she could tell by the look in his eye. But this time, it wasn't a darkened and bleak outlook on the world that set him on a path of destruction. No, it was a new look. As if he didn't fear anything at all. He loosened his grip on his wrist, clenching his hands into fists as he continued, "The names of Nulls that escape the shackles of hatred my mother adorned them with, the name of  _all_ Type:Nulls...from here on out are no longer hers  _or_ the Foundation's to dictate."  
  
Everyone, including the grunts were completely silent. This battle had turned to be more than they had bargained for. That especially included Plumeria. She really didn't take any joy out of this battle. And neither did he. There was no reason for either of them to enjoy battling this way. It was nothing more than a war of anger and disdain. Much like Gladion's battle with Lillie. Only this time, neither side was hoping to reach out to the other. They both were convinced that was completely off the table.  
  
"They will be known only...as Silvally."  
  
Silvally cried out, adrenaline still bursting through it. Plumeria eased up as she leaned on one of her legs. She put a hand on her hip almost boredly. This kid was really something else. Just like his sister. "...Much less boring name, actually. I think I like it," she complimented. Gladion nodded, looking to Silvally with a new determined glint in his eye. He would win this. He  _had_ to. "Silvally, show me what you've got," he ordered. Silvally nodded, darting forward towards the Crobat and rearing up it's front claws.  
  
They began glowing white just before they slashed into the Crobat and sent it into the ground, completely immobilizing it. It roared victoriously as Plumeria called it back. She winced, agitated by the power she was up against. She knew she was in a whole new ballpark now. It was likely not even the president knew what a controlled Silvally could do. Plumeria took a deep breath. She decided to level with the kid. Perhaps it would make the blow a bit softer.  
  
"I commend you kid, I really do. You probably don't believe this, but like I told you, this isn't personal. I really hate to burst your little bubble, but you just sealed your fate." She pulled out another pokéball, her last one. "This is your last chance. Stand down. I don't want to hurt you  _or_ that Silvally but I will if I have to." Gladion scoffed at her. "Stop trying to intimidate me. Either prove you're good enough to beat us, or give up yourself," he snapped. She sighed and shook her head.  
  
"I tried, kid...don't say that I didn't," she pleaded, tossing her ball into the air to unleash her final weapon. From the light came a bipedal, seductive looking black lizard. It had a purple splotch on it's belly that reached to it's breast and continued into it's inner thigh. All around it's chest in a symmetrical formation within this splotch were various flame-like patterns. Two stray scaley patched of skin hung off it's lower back like ribbons, and it's long tail flopped against the concrete pavement.  
  
It hissed, it's long, lizard tongue flopping out of it's mouth as it salivated acid. The disgusting sight only made Gladion recoil slightly as he cringed. He shook his head. Now wasn't the time to get squeamish. "Silvally, Iron Head!" Silvally reared up it's head, hardening it's very skull as it charged forward. "Protect!" Plumeria ordered. A barrier shielded the lizard from the attack as Silvally slammed into it head-on. The lizard pokémon hissed at it tauntingly as it glared back at it.  
  
Eventually, Silvally gave up and jumped back. The barrier faded after a few seconds, and Plumeria was quick to act before the kid tried another trick. "Now Salazzle, use Flamethrower!" Salazzle nodded, unhinging it's jaw and shooting fire out of it's mouth at the Silvally. It wasn't able to dodge, not fast enough with it's incredible weight inhibiting it greatly. It roared in pain, it's whole body left overheated even after the attack had ceased. It growled in pain, flinching as it's whole body felt enveloped in fire.  
  
"Silvally! Are you ok?!"  
  
"Looks like Salazzle's Flamethrower left him a little burned. He's gonna be feeling  _pretty_ overheated for a while."  
  
Gladion's eyes widened. He reached into his bag, pulling out another berry. This time, a blue one with oversized leaves. It was small, but it felt cold to the touch. "Silvally, catch!" he cried, tossing the berry towards his companion. Silvally reared up again to catch it in it's mouth, quickly consuming it. It's burn began to cool off and it felt great relief from the pain. Plumeria growled in irritation, "Dragon Pulse!" This time, Salazzle charged up purple flames as it hissed viciously.  
  
"Silvally, don't give it the chance! Use Tri Attack!"  
  
Once again Silvally summoned the same 3 orbs and shot them at Salazzle at the same moment it fired it's own shot. Both parties were hit successfully, however, the Salazzle was not left with a status condition as hoped. Silvally was pushed back by the attack, sinking it's claws into the pavement to keep itself still. It breathed heavily, considerably scratched up now. But it would endure the pain. With it's newfound strength, it had faith just like it's companion that it could win.  
  
"Salazzle, Sludge Bomb!"  
  
"Stop it with Iron Head!"  
  
Once again, Silvally charged it's head into Salazzle's skull and hit dead-on this time. The attack cause Salazzle to flinch in pain, unable to carry out it's order properly. Plumeria scowled hard. This was a disaster. If she didn't turn things around soon, she would be empty handed. And while deep down she had hoped for this, she knew that wasn't an option. Not if she wanted to keep Guzma and the kids safe. She had to give this woman what she wanted.  _Now_.  
  
Slowly, she reached into the pocket of her pants and sighed. "I didn't wanna have to do this, but you leave me no choice," she warned, pulling out what Gladion could recognize as a Z-Ring. She slipped it onto her wrist and he took a step back as he began to sweat. She reached into her other pocket, pulling out a purple Z-Crystal with a skull and cross bones logo imprinted into it. She set it into the slot, and tapped it. Salazzle hissed excitedly as it was surrounded with a glowing aura.  
  
She moved in a bubbly maneuver as she imitated injecting poison with her fingers, finishing it off as she ducked down and held her hands out. Her Salazzle imitated her movements perfectly, being filled with a great sense of power as it continued hissing happily. Silvally and Gladion both were uneased by this. The blonde swallowed hard, looking to his companion with anxious eyes. It looked back at him, giving him a reassuring look before looking back at it's opponent. Gladion winced as she announced her attack.  
  
**_"ACID DOWNPOUR!"  
  
_**A wave, no, a  _tsunami_ of purple and toxic liquid rose up from behind Salazzle as it poured out of it's scales. It cackled maniacally, almost taking sadistic pleasure in the damage it was about to cause. Then, the mass of liquid came pouring down onto Silvally. Gladion shielded himself, but it seemed not a drop ever touched him. When he looked up again, he saw that Silvally was directly shielding him from the attack. His eyes glazed over as he brought a hand up to his chin.  
  
"S-Silvally..."  
  
It grunted in immense pain, the full force of the attack was wearing it down, and fast. There was just too much for it to handle all at once. However, it forced itself to endure for it's master's sake. Eventually, the liquid stopped pouring down, and Silvally got back down on all fours. It huffed tiredly. It was  _completely_ drenched in the acidic liquid and almost out of breath entirely. Gladion's faith had begun to falter again. He reached a hand out towards it. "S-Silvally-" He stopped when it grunted at him.  
  
He didn't have to guess to know what it was trying to say. It's move during that attack made it clear. It was only concerned with it's master being safe. It was the same resolve it had always had since the day they had escaped together.  _I always knew that..._  Gladion thought.  _I always knew...that you would take the fall for me no matter what happened. I'm so sorry, Silvally._ He wiped away his remain tears, shaking his head as he tried to focus. He was down with his back against the wall.  
  
But yet, Plumeria only had one pokémon left. If he could just take it down in one shot, he could win this. But he had to render it handicapped first. He drew in a sharp and shaky breath. "Silvally, use Tri Attack, again..." he choked. Silvally nodded, summoning 3 orbs again and firing them at Salazzle. It dodge the first 2, however, it stepped on a piece of outcropped pavement that distracted it as pain shot through it's foot and it screeched in sudden pain. The last orb hit it and a chill ran throughout it's body.  
  
Suddenly, it's movement had completely stopped, save for it's breathing. It couldn't move a single other muscle than it's own lungs. Plumeria's eyes widened, cursing to herself under her breath. "Shit...! He froze it...!" Gladion's own eyes widened as well, surprised he had been successful. He took the opportunity to attack. "S-Silvally! Quick, use Iron Head!" he commanded. Silvally began charging it's attack, and Plumeria began to panic. Then, she thought of something.  
  
"Salazzle! Thaw yourself out with Flamethrower!"  
  
Salazzle made a choked hiss as it's frozen, open maw began to glow as it heat up it's own throat. Silvally was still charging, trying to make the hit count. Only Gladion noticed as Salazzle began to crack through it's frozen state. He began to panic, "Silvally, quick!" Finally, Silvally finished charging and darted forward for Salazzle. But it was too late. Salazzle broke free of it's restrained state as it spit a mass of fire into Silvally again, this time it's fire burning twice as brightly as it had before.  
  
Silvally roared in pain, the burns being too much for it to bear as it slowed to a complete stop. Once the fire stopped coming, it wobbled, before falling onto it's side on the pavement floor. Gladion gasped in shock and horror and immediately rush to his partner's side. "Silvally! Silvally, are you alright?! Look at me!" Tears were streaming down his face again as he sobbed. Silvally looked up at him sorrowfully. It was truly upset that it had failed it's companion. It grunted weakly and apologetically.  
  
Gladion choked on his sobs. He couldn't bare to see Silvally like this. "I'm so sorry buddy...this is all my fault. If I had just gotten over my fears, you wouldn't-" He was interrupted by another grunt. He looked into his partner's eyes again. When he had first began his journey, it was difficult for him to understand pokémon. Even Cleffy was hard to read sometimes. And he had grown up with Cleffy almost all his life. But somehow, in this moment, he could perfectly understand his companion.  
  
He gave a goofy and sloppy smile as he laughed between his sobbing. "Thanks, buddy. For sticking with me. We make a pretty good team, huh...?" he coughed. Silvally nodded, it's eyelids growing heavy as it finally passed out. This sent Gladion into a panic again as he shook his pokémon wildly. "Silvally? Silvally?! Wake up, please! Silvally!" Plumeria shook her head again. She wasn't sure if it was possible to feel more horrible, to pity this boy anymore than she already did.  
  
"I warned you, kid. Just give up already."  
  
Gladion looked up at her. He shook his head as his panic began to set in. He needed Hau. He needed him to be here,  _now_. Everything would fall apart if he didn't come to save him. "N...No...! I...I can't...!" he heaved. Plumeria winced. How far was this kid willing to push it? Didn't he understand the consequences of this? "Are you  _really_ going to make me play dirty?" she threatened. For some reason, this snapped something in him again. Seeing his partner, broken, unconscious on the ground like this.  
  
Seeing Plumeria's irritating, insulting look of pity. Seeing the broken mess of their battle all around them. It all drove him up a wall. He stood up, scowling furiously as he glared at her. He stepped in front of his partner and yelled at her one last time. "Go ahead! I'm  _not_ scared of you!" he dared. His left hand was shaking noticeably as he said this. She sighed heavily, "Stupid..." She looked to her Salazzle again, "Salazzle, knock him out with your Sludge Bomb." Salazzle hissed as it's tail swayed on the ground.  
  
Gladion flinched, bringing his arms up to defend himself from the blow as it charged up it's attack. And before long, it fired. However...nothing ever came. No pain. No burn. Nothing at all. The moment was interrupted as the impact ended early. Everyone looked up, and Gladion was the first to see what had happened through all the dust. His eyes widened as they sparkled with overwhelming emotions of relief and joy. Before him, somehow taking on the full brunt of the attack, was a familiar looking Riolu.  
  
"Riiii..."  
  
"It's...you...?!"  
  
"Lu!" it cried suddenly. It spread it's arms apart, sending the attack flying back as purple sludge spilled everywhere. Salazzle hissed as it had to avoid 1 or 2 splotches of it's own attack. Plumeria growled, "What the hell is this?!" Gladion could only stare in amazement and pure relief to see his trusted acquaintance. "You saved me..." he breathed. Riolu looked back at him. "Riolu! Riolu, ri!" Gladion wasn't  _quite_ sure what it was trying to say, but he could make a guess.  
  
"You...want to help me?" he prodded. Riolu nodded, "Ri!" Gladion couldn't help but smile thankfully. He called back his Silvally, then, he pointed the Riolu towards the opposing lizard pokémon that still hissed angrily at them, prompting it to turn it's focus towards it. "Very well then, let's see what you've got then!" Riolu nodded, rushing forward towards the Salazzle at top speeds. At the last moment, it shoved it's palm forward, smacking the Salazzle backwards with great force as it gargled in pain. It hissed angrily once the Riolu had jumped back.  
  
"Grrr...! Burn it with Flamethrower!"  
  
Salazzle shot fire out of it's mouth again, but the Riolu was quick to jump out of the way. It repeated it's previous attack, hitting the Salazzle in the chest with it's palm and jumping back. "SLUDGE BOMB!" Plumeria bellowed. Instead of dodging the attack this time, Riolu curiously chose to take it, holding it's arms up to soften the blow. Gladion raised a curious brow at this, but didn't break it's concentration in the interest of letting it handle itself. Once the sludge melted off it's fur, the Riolu darted forward.  
  
This time, it's paw formed into a fist as it's arm began to glow with red and orange light. It dashed forward so quickly, it seemed to teleport from it's original point to just inched from the Salazzle's face. Then, once it was close enough, it struck, punching the Salazzle in the chest with great force. The Salazzle was left nearly out of breath now. Soon, it wouldn't be able to keep this up. Plumeria gritted her teeth.  _This kid really is something else_ she thought. She began to sweat as she realized she had to nip this in the bud and fast.  
  
"Sludge Bomb, again!" she commanded. Once again, Riolu was hit with ball of sludge. However, when it brought it's arms down this time, it's face was blue as it twitched in pain. It coughed a bit as it already began taking it's toll on it, likely due to it's smaller size. It breathed heavily, repeating it's previous attack. However, the Salazzle managed to dodge out of the way this time, anticipating it's predictable movements all too easily now as it slithered out of the Riolu's range. The Riolu stumbled on it's feet.  
  
"Flamethrower!"  
  
The Riolu was about to dodge the attack, when it flinched in pain from the poison that coursed through it's body. The full force of the flames hit it and knocked it flat on it's face in the pavement. Gladion cried out in panic, "Riolu!" It began shaking slowly pulling itself up with great struggle. Riolu was scratched up considerably now. It coughed even more, it's breathing becoming ragged as it growled in a raspy voice. Hesitantly, it closed it's eyes and it's appendages rose up yet again as they vibrated.   
  
It tried it's hardest to remain focused on it's target. But Plumeria was impatient. "Salazzle, end this with Dragon Pulse!" she commanded. The Riolu's focus began to waver as it flinched from the pain of it's poison. It coughed again, hacking violently and choking itself. It was trying hard to spit out the poisonous substance through it's throat. However, this was a grave mistake, as it was hit with a purple flame attack that sent it flying towards Gladion. It rolled around, until it stopped with it's face in the pavement again.  
  
It groaned in pain. It was burned, scratched, and barely able to breathe. It tried once again to pull itself back up. It's breath, it's voice were both raspy and labored. One last time, it choked as the poison completely overtook it's body and rendered it's muscles completely drained of energy. It fell back onto it's face, unconscious and unable to continue fighting. It was  _over_. He had nothing left to work with. All his pokémon were defeated and broken, and now, so was Riolu.   
  
Plumeria walked up to Gladion slowly, her Salazzle still beside her. He only took a step back to put distance between them, but he had quickly stopped. Even if he ran, they would catch him. Where would he even run to? He had no idea how far Hau was by now. His tablet was broken, he had no means of contacting anyone. And nobody lived around here. The stores were still closed due to the early hours. He was trapped. He hung his head, as she held out her hand to him, "C'mon kid. It's over. Just come with me."  
  
Tears streamed down his face as he was completely broken. He drew in a sharp breath, holding his hands away from her in disgust. He gave her the best glare that he could, but that wasn't saying a whole lot. He truly and sincerely hated her in this moment. He hated her, he hated the Skull Gang, he hated his mother. But most of all, he hated himself. In the back of his head, he pointlessly begged Hau for forgiveness. He sighed a heavy sigh as all his regrets began to wash over him.  
  
"...Fine, you win. Take me to her..."

* * *

  
Even on the Charizard taxi, the trip home was excruciatingly long. Perhaps it was because he still felt unprepared for the inevitable conversation he'd have to have with Gladion. Regardless, he had to get home quickly. It was getting late, after all. The stars had already come out since the trial had taken him almost as long as it took to get to Aether House. He looked down at the new Z-Crystal he had in his hand, a purple one with the insignia of a ghost embedded into it.  
  
Looking at it, he began to wonder how Moon's own journey was going. But the thought was quickly stamped out by all his personal quandaries. He sighed.  _I should've just talk to him this morning..._ he thought. He felt like a pitiful fool, lying to his boyfriend like that. But once they had a proper chat things would surely turn out for the better. Acerola had given him enough confidence to be sure of that. For the most part, anyways.  
  
The Charizard landed safely in the streets of Malie City, dropping Hau not far from the road to his motel. Hau climbed off, taking off his gear and returning it before sending the large pokémon off with a brief thanks. He let out a deep and long sigh. Today had taken nearly everything out of him. He shook his head. He had to focus. He had to get home right away. He couldn't leave Gladion by himself for longer than was necessary. He turned, heading off down the road in a fast pace as he ran.  
  
It didn't take him long to reach the street corner, and once he did, he turned onto it. However, he quickly froze into place. Just outside their motel was a noticeable mess. Bits of rock everywhere, cracks in the pavement, and something...lying on the ground. He inched closer, slowly and nervously. Once he was close enough to make it out he gasped. It was Riolu. It was unconscious, and battered viciously. Hau immediately ran over to it, propping it up and trying to wake it up.  
  
"Hey! Are you ok?! What happened?!" he yelped. But the Riolu simply groaned as it's closed eyes twitched. Hau began looking around, until his eyes fell on the door to their room. He instantly began cursing himself in his own head. Thoughts overlapped one another in a panicked shrew of guilt. Their door was completely broken down, busted open and shattered on the floor. Hau picked up Riolu, rushing to the doorway frantically. And just as he had feared, Gladion and his pokémon were gone. On the floor, he could see the now broken tablet.  
  
_I knew it! I knew it was a bad idea! I'm such an **idiot**! He's gone again and it's all my fault!  
  
_He couldn't suppress his tears as he began to break down. He knew he shouldn't have let Gladion talk him into this. He should've known something bad might happen. He trusted that he wouldn't run away. And judging from the scene before him, that's certainly  _not_ what had occurred here. What reason would he have to break the door or attack the Riolu if he had just run away again? Yet somehow, this was much worse. Someone had taken him. Gladion had to fend for himself and Hau wasn't here yet again.  
  
He may have sat there sobbing for hours, if not for the broken pokémon in his arms. It groaned again, still suffering from it's injuries. He snapped out of his trance. He couldn't pity himself right now. He had to get Riolu help. Perhaps it had seen everything. Or if not everything,  _something_ of interest. Hau turned, running back in the direction he had just come from to get to the Pokémon Center. Few people saw him pass by, giving strange and worried looks as he passed them.  
  
He didn't stop until he reached the inside of the Pokémon Center. Once he did, he was surprised to find a familiar face. Moon spun around at the sound of Hau's ragged and panicked breathing. She stared at him wide-eyed, instantly approaching him. "H-Holy crap! Hau, what the hell happened?!" Hau swallowed hard, "I-I need someone to treat this pokémon! I made a mistake!" Moon raised a brow at him. "I-I don't understand!" she yelped. They were interrupted as the nurse approached them with a gurney.  
  
"Quickly, put it on here! We'll begin extensive treatment right away!"  
  
Hau nodded, placing the Riolu on the gurney obediently as it continued to groan in pain. They both watch as it disappeared behind the doors to the back of facility. As soon as it did, Moon turned to look at Hau. "Hau, what's going on? Where's Gl- I...I mean Hanini," she begged. He began to break down again as his voice cracked. "Moon, it's...it's  _all_ my fault! He's...he's gone again and it's my fault! I let him talk me into leaving him alone again and...it blew up in my face!" he sobbed.  
  
Moon grabbed his shoulders. She had to keep him calm. "Hau, please! Slow down. Start from the top. This morning. What did he say to you?" Hau sniffled, trying hard to compose himself his guilt and worry was over-running his judgement. All he could think was what a fool he was. That Gladion could be dead or tortured or Arceus knows what by now. It wasn't even that he thought Gladion had betrayed his trust, either. That was probably the worst part of it. No, he had betrayed Gladion by failing to keep his promises.  
  
"H-He couldn't come with me t-to the next trial site. It was too much of a risk to run into Aether. S-So I let him stay home so long as he kept the tablet. B-But...when I came home, the street was a mess and our door was broken down! The tablet was broken on the floor and...Riolu was beaten up on the ground! It's been following him for about a day now. I-It didn't wanna be caught so...we just left it alone!"  
  
"Ok ok...so you think he's been taken. This doesn't sound like he ran off again."  
  
"No way! It looks...like he tried to put up a fight."  
  
"Alright so our only witness is potentially that pokémon. Rotom, c-can you translate for us when it wakes up?"  
  
Rotom saluted, "Yo-o-ou can count on me, Moon!"  
  
Moon nodded, turning to Hau again, "Alright. Good. But until then...do you think it was Aether?" Hau winced at this. It was true that was his first guess. However, he also had to consider their other enemies. "It may have been. But it also could've been the Skull Gang too. I know they said they only wanted his Null, but..." he trailed off. Moon's eyes widened a bit as she took a step back. He looked up at her, "Moon? What is it?" Moon shook her head, "I wanted to save this, but..."  
  
"I passed my Grand Trial today. And the Kahuna...he wanted to ask me some questions. Ex-cop, I guess. He said...he works with the Skull Gang. That he's working with Guzma to find him so they could place him under witness protection."  
  
"Do you think they found him?"  
  
"No, this isn't what that sounds like. I'm just saying, it probably wasn't them. If it were, they wouldn't wanna break down the door."  
  
"Guzma  _is_ a criminal you know. Maybe he changed his mind."  
  
"I know. But let's just say the Kahuna was dead set on trusting him. He gave me an argument I couldn't really refute."  
  
"So it  _has_ to be Aether...!"  
  
Before Moon could retort to this, the nurse called them over. Hau gave her a worried look, "Y-Yes? Is Riolu alright?" The nurse nodded, "It's awake. It's pretty restless and we can't get it to settle down. I thought perhaps maybe if it saw it's trainer it might calm down." Hau nodded, "I-I'm not his trainer, but I'm familiar with it. Take me to him." The nurse nodded, guiding the kids to the back room where she had taken the pokémon. It sat in a spacious room, hooked up to a few machines while a Chansey tried desperately to calm it down.  
  
It was thrashing around in it's restraints to the bed. It was  _seething_ and in it's eyes Hau could see fear and worry. The nurse escorted the pair in, and the Chansey backed off as it was ordered to by the nurse. Riolu eased up a little, but still growled at the unfamiliar face of Moon. Moon took this as a cue to step back and let Hau handle things. Hau didn't get too close to the bed, still uncertain whether or not it trusted him. "H-Hey, buddy...you remember me, right?" he cooed.  
  
The Riolu stared at him silently, looking him over top to bottom. It closed it's eyes, the appendages on it's face rising up and vibrating. The nurse recognized this phenomenon. "Oh, it's sensing for auras..." she stated. Moon glanced at her curiously, "Auras?" The nurse nodded. "Riolu and it's evolution have the ability to sense auras. Granted, Riolu aren't as inept with auras as their evolutions...but they can detect threats," she explained. Hau nodded quietly, keeping this new information in mind.  
  
They all stood still, until the Riolu opened it's eyes again and it's appendages fall back down. It eased up on it's hostile behavior almost instantly. "Ri..." it coughed. Rotom floated closer, gaining a glare from the injured pokémon. Hau held up his hands to defuse this, "I-It's ok! He won't hurt you. I just need him to translate for me. I-Is that ok?" The Riolu looked between them for a moment, before glancing down at it's restraints. "Ri, riolu, ri." Rotom turned to the nurse, "It's asking to be let free of it's restraints."  
  
The nurse gave a nervous look, "Well, I guess if it agrees to remain cooperative..." The Riolu nodded. Hau and Rotom stepped out of the way so the nurse could properly unhook the pokémon from it's restraints. Once she was done, she stepped back again as it sat up and rubbed it's wrists. It glanced at the nurse and her Chansey, barking once. Rotom turned to her again. "I-I-It says it wants you to-o-o leave. Zzt!" The nurse tried to protest, "But he still needs treatment-!"  
  
"RI!" the Riolu snapped. This made her jump and squeak in terror. The nurse sighed heavily, reluctantly agreeing as she exited the room with her Chansey who gave a worried look. Once the door was shut, all was quiet. Riolu jumped to it's feet on the bed, looking at Hau as it began to speak again. "Ri, riolu ri ri! Lu, lu lu rio ri!" It all sounded like utter gibberish, but not to Rotom, who listened carefully.  
  
Every so often, he gave a reaction to something the Riolu said, but didn't interrupt. Once it was finished, he turned to Hau. "I've got it! Ri-ri-riolu saw pretty much everything! Zzt!" he exclaimed. Hau's face lit up, "R-Really?! Does he know who took him?" Rotom nodded, displaying a simulation on his screen as he pulled up a picture of the motel from a maps site. He pointed to his screen to draw the attention of everyone. A crude drawing of the Riolu peered over the roof of the building.  
  
"Riolu was on the ro-o-oof, sleeping when it heard a loud noise. It peeked over the side to see what was going on, and saw- Zzt! -Gladion come out of the motel wi-i-ith 3 goons dressed in black and white. O-O-One of them was a woman with pink and yellow hair who was wearing pigtails."  
  
Moon growled, "The Skull Gang! I've run into that woman before. She's the Admin."  
  
"But why would they take him? This doesn't make any sense!"  
  
"I don't know. A-A-According to Riolu's account, they had a battle- Zzt! -to settle whether or not Gladion would go with the-e-em. Gladion lost, and Riolu stepped in to save him when his opponent tried to directly attack him! Zzt!"  
  
"Oh my Arceus...!" Hau cried.  
  
"Riolu was able to tough it out and defend him for a while, but ultimately, he lost and was knocked out. He has no recollection of anything beyond tha-a-at point other than waking up here. Zzt!"  
  
Moon growled in frustration, running her hands through her hair. She was livid, beyond livid. This Skull Gang had pulled their last brilliant stunt. "Damn that Skull Gang! Tomorrow morning, we're raiding their headquarters! I don't give a  _damn_ what the Kahuna says!" she snapped. Hau blinked in shock, "You know where their headquarters is?" Moon nodded, "It's not far. We can make it if we take my Charizard there. But it's too dark out to stage an attack...we'll have to wait until tomorrow."  
  
"But, what if they do something to him?!" Hau squeaked. Moon grabbed his shoulders to calm him again. "Hau, Gladion can take care of himself. Riolu said it himself, he put up a fight." Hau shook his head as tears streamed down his face again. "Yeah, but it wasn't good enough! You know that yourself! And what about Lillie?! She'll probably tear him to shreds!" he weeped. Moon pulled him into a sudden and unexpected hug. She sighed heavily as he returned the gesture slowly.  
  
"We gotta be smart about this. If we aren't, then Gladion really  _will_ get hurt. Just trust me on this, ok?"  
  
"...A-Alright. We'll wait. But first thing tomorrow we're leaving for their headquarters!"  
  
"Right."  
  
She let go of him, turning to look at the Riolu curiously. "What about him? He's still a wild pokémon isn't he?" Hau turned to look at Riolu. It was still injured. But it had a familiar glint in it's eye. Hau nodded at him, his face turning stern. "You wanna help get him back, right?" he asked. Riolu nodded. "Alright then...first thing's first, let these people help you. You can't do any good if you have no strength to use against the Skull Gang." They stared at each other for a long moment.  
  
Then, the Riolu sat down on the bed obediently and sighed heavily. Hau turned to Moon again, "So where is this base of theirs anyways?" Rotom pulled up their map, pointing to a large town in an area of the island Hau had yet to explore. "Ri-i-ight here, we ju-u-ust have to fly there. The taxi isn't too keen on trespassing due to certain laws, but we-e-e shouldn't have too much trouble getting inside. Zzt!" he explained. Hau nodded, looking at Moon after examining the map.  
  
"First thing tomorrow."  
  
"I couldn't agree more..."  
  
That night, they stayed beside Riolu until exhaustion got the better of them. The morning would be long, no doubt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> L-O-N-G  
> This chapter is so freakin' long omg like I'm dead fam for real I need to tap out for like a day or something, daily uploads are legit killing me here ;w;
> 
> Oh what's this? It says here on the box to never leave your Gladion unsupervised for extended periods of time or "Bad Times" will ensue? That's weird >w>


	50. Chapter 49 - Until Someone Gets Hurt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hau and Moon infiltrate Po Town to rescue Gladion, as Lusamine and Gladion see each other for the first time in a month.

It had been a few hours since his arrival. Since he was escorted back into the mansion where he had been securely locked into his room. A room he hadn't seen in little over a month now. Everything was the same. Except that most of his belongings were gone. All that remained was his bed, empty shelves and an empty closet, and a desk with a chair in the corner. He was surprised he wasn't put in bindings or cuffs even upon being handed to his mother's lackeys.  
  
He was almost certain as well that Wicke didn't even know that he was here. But that only begged the question; Did his mother even know? Surely she must have. After all, she was the one who had sent for him. So then, why hadn't he already been taken to her yet? Was she still preparing his punishment? Did she still need to practice what it was she wanted to say to him? It only made him more frightened than it made him relieved that he had gone this long with such mercy.  
  
He didn't even have the comfort of his pokémon anymore. Despite having given up fighting his mother's grasp, he was erratic when they had confiscated his bag from him. It was the only remnants of the outside world he had left besides his clothes. And for all he knew, his mother had released all of them or shipped them off to another region just to spite him. He was left utterly distraught at the mere idea of it all. And Silvally too, what would become of it now that he couldn't protect it?  
  
Now that his mother had it, at it's full potential and under control, in her merciless fingers? Only bad things could happen.  _Would_ happen. He looked down at his left hand. His Z-Ring and Z-Crystal was also among the items that had been confiscated. He had almost nothing left of his precious memories. It had already begun taking a toll on him. He began to sob again as his memories with Hau began to repeat in his head. He hung his head as he breathed shakily. He could still hear Hau's voice.  
  
_"Geez, I'm so rude. M-My name is Hau. It's nice to meet you."  
  
_"I'm so sorry..."  
  
_"But I can tell you're really scared of something, and if that's true, he **has** to help you. So  **I'm** gonna help you too."  
  
_"I wish that I could go back...! If I hadn't been so foolish..."  
  
_"We're...friends. Or at least... **I**  think you're a pretty cool friend."_  
  
"And I hope...th-that you can forgive me someday..."  
  
_"You don't have to do this to yourself. You're **not** a coward! Your  **mother** is a coward."  
  
_" _Please_..."  
  
_"You don't have to torture yourself anymore. I've broke some promises, but I **will** protect you. That woman will  **never** touch you again. I won't let her."  
  
_"Arceus, if I could just...see you again...I want to tell you that I..."  
  
_"I-I know you're supposed to this **before** you kiss, but...I really like you."  
  
_"...Th-that I..."  
  
_"E aho, alola."_  
  
Gladion sighed heavily as his despair overwhelmed him. He wrapped his arms around himself, struggling to keep himself still as he had long since began shaking. He couldn't control his sobs. "A-At least...I can be sure that you're safe. Now th-that she has what she wants..." he choked. He felt truly and utterly pathetic. He had failed in every aspect of his plan. At times, he wondered what it'd be like if he didn't let his emotions get the better of him. But in the end, the answer was always the same.  
  
He'd just be like Lillie. He wouldn't even have considered a plan to run away if he didn't worry about others like he did. His compassion was his greatest weakness. And Lusamine likely knew this. She would use it against him at any turn that she could. He coughed, wiping away his tears futilely as he tried to compose himself. His sobbing would get him nowhere. Perhaps he should try to figure out a way to escape the room. No, that was pointless. Security was probably extremely tight.  
  
He had already blown his last chance to sneak out of this place.  
  
Suddenly, the door to his room unlocked and was opened by two Aether Foundation employees in curious quarantine attire complete with gas masks. He didn't bother putting up a fight as they dragged him up off the bed and onto his feet. He just stayed quiet and scowled down at the floor as they guided him along. He was certain of it this time. He was being taken to see his mother. They escorted him down the hall, reaching the intimidating door to her room.   
  
They didn't even give him time to breathe properly before opening it up. Curiously, however, it was empty. He didn't see his mother anywhere, and there weren't many places to hide. That's when he noticed something. Her mirror was gone. Where it had once been was a narrow and small opening in the back of the wall. On the floor was a strange looking pad that glowed with yellow rings. He was about to question what this was about when he was shoved onto the pad suddenly, causing him to trip.  
  
As a strange sound entered his ears, he fell to the floor hard on his chin. He twitched and groaned for a moment, his eyes shut tight in pain. Slowly, he managed to pull himself up as he rubbed at the new bruise on his face. He opened his eyes, and they went wide. The he was now staring down a pitch black corridor in a much bigger space than he had just been shoved into. He looked around, noticing the lack of lights anywhere. Behind him was the pad he had just stepped on, but it was on a different pedestal.  
  
He raised a brow in utter confusion. Was he dreaming? Hallucinating maybe? Perhaps the anxiety had gotten the better of him. He certainly didn't recognize the area he had been shoved into. He knelt down towards the pad, reading small words that were printed along the side in a quiet whisper. "Aether Foundation Tech: Teleportation Device, Prototype 567009." He blinked in shock. He stood back up again, sweating nervously as this only raised more questions. Then, he froze, as he heard a strange melody.  
  
" _Frère Jacques~..._ _Frère Jacques~..._ "  
  
He swallowed hard. He knew that melody. And he knew the voice that belonged to it. Slowly, he turned around to look at the corridor he was faced with before. He couldn't see anyone. All he could see was a chair with a holographic computer in front of it. He bit his lower lip, slowly approaching the start of the long hallway and placing his hand on the wall. He didn't dare move. He wanted to wait and see if anything would change first. Perhaps nobody even noticed he was here yet.  
  
" _Dormez-vous~...Dormez-vous~..._ "  
  
His legs and hands were shaking. The song was slow, drawn out, almost purposefully so. Was she trying to taunt him? Mock him?  _Scare_ him? His body didn't seem to obey him at this point as he slowly trudged forward against his better instincts. The end of the hallway was much more lit than the entrance seemed to be. But the light didn't only come from the holographic computer. He could tell by the way the shadows fell onto the floor. Something wasn't right here...what were those other lights?  
  
" _Sonnez les matines~...Sonnez les matines~...Ding Daing Dong~..._ "  
  
He was a little over halfway there at this point. He could see his mother's legs behind the chair that was turned away from him. Still, the other light sources were a mystery to him. There was nothing in his range of view. He was becoming agitated among all the anxiety he felt. He wasn't sure how hard he was sweating, but he definitely felt burning hot with anxiety. In contrast to this, his blood felt ice cold. Even his hair began to stand on end from the absolute fear he felt as he took his final steps.  
  
"Ding~..."  
  
_Closer..._  
  
"Diang~..."  
  
_Almost there..._  
  
"Dong~..."  
  
He froze. His eyes went wide with absolute and utter horror. His whole body was shaking with fear at the sight he beheld as he gasped. Throughout the room on either side were various ice cases displaying a most vile sight. All of them, the frozen bodies of various pokémon. Yes,  _bodies_. All of them were definitely deceased. That was a pattern he could pick up quickly, given that he recognized a few them. A Starmie that had died of old age in the Conservation Area, a Pyukumuku that had starved itself.  
  
Even a certain familiar Komala, his  _father's_ Komala, whose ear was bitten off to distinguish it from most Komalas.  _Yuka..._ he recognized mentally as he tried to wrap his head around the sick display. He was trying desperately to suppress his urge to vomit as he put a hand over his mouth. Lusamine had ceased her menacing humming and giggled softly to herself. She spun herself around in her chair, revealing herself in full. In her lap was a little Stufful she was petting with such care and precision.  
  
"Aren't they just  _beautiful_ , child~? They are my  _precious_ babies, their beauty preserved for  _all_ eternity."  
  
Gladion swallowed hard, still unable to take his eyes off the mortifying spectacle. This was beyond words. Beyond sanity. Beyond death itself. Nothing about this was right. Just how long had she been doing this?! It took him a moment to compose himself properly before he could retort. But he still couldn't look her in the eye even as he did so. "Wh-what...have you done...? This is  _sick_!" he exclaimed. Lusamine just burst out in a fit of psychotic and cruel laughter that sent a chill up his spine.  
  
" _Sick_ , you say~? What's more revolting, my collection, or your  _infallible_ delusions that I would  _ever_ let you leave this place without my say so?"  
  
She stood up from her chair, placing the Stufful down onto her cushion her stead. It tilted it's head curiously. It was much too young to understand what was going on. The poor thing hardly noticed the frozen corpses all around it. Gladion began backing away towards the corridor again as she approached him with a mad grin on her face. He could hardly recognize who she even was anymore. Why did things have to turn out like this? Why did she do this to herself? Why? Why?!  
  
"Look at it, Gladion. Look at the beautiful collection I've amassed. You and Lillie could've been preserved just like this...you were both  _so_ beautiful before you let the ugliness of selfishness  _ruin_ you." His back hit a wall, completely missing the corridor's entrance in his fearful state. He gasped and began frantically pleading with Lusamine. "S-Stop...get away from me!" He was expecting her to hit him. Spit in his face, insult him, do any number of things. But instead, she roughly grabbed him by his chin.  
  
She forced his head to turn towards a certain ice sculpture of death. Tears began to stream down his face once his eyes landed on it. Somehow, in his panic and shock he had missed the biggest encapsulation. In the large block of ice was a Type:Null. It still had it's mask on. But the mask had a gapping hole in a single part of it. it wasn't completely broken, but it was obvious it had tried to tear it open somehow. He could see it's face, the face of his Silvally underneath. Lusamine whispered in his ear.  
  
"Look at that, Gladion.  _You_ did that. That was  _you_. It's dead now, it's dead and  _useless_ aside from quite the fetching art piece. And it's all  _your_ fault."  
  
"No... _no_...!"  
  
He shook his head somehow under her grip. He couldn't accept this. This had to be some sick, cruel joke she was playing on him. She cackled as she shoved him onto the ground closer to the display. "HAVE A GOOD LOOK,  _BOY_! SOAK IN YOUR  _FAILURE_!" she mocked. His voice cracked as he choked on his sobs again, "Arceus, no...!  _NO_...!!" Lusamine was absolutely maddened at this point. All he could hear was her horrific laughter. She reveled in every bit of his despair as she continued taunting him.  
  
"FEEL MY PAIN AND ANGUISH!!! The pain and anguish of a  _mother_ scorned, you wretched  _brat_! You  _almost_ ruined  _everything_ I worked for because of your stupid sentimental mentality! You killed them  _both_ , Gladion. They're both rotting scraps of metal thanks to your  _brilliantly_ amateur escape attempt!"  
  
"Sweetpea...! Th-this can't be happening...! This can't be real!"  
  
"Oh, but it is, Gladion. Soon you will understand, dear boy."  
  
He looked up at her, tears still streaming down his face as she grinned down at him.  
  
"In the end, I will have my perfect Eden with my Ultra Beasts, and you will always be in your place.  _Below the heel of my **boot**_."  
  
The last thing he remembered was hearing a crack as his nose was broken by her foot slamming into his face. The darkness of unconsciousness took him immediately. At the very least, he felt relieved that he could escape her cruel voice...for now.

* * *

  
The sun had only just started lifting into the sky. The breeze was light, but not too strong, and the air was a bit warmer today. The children were stood outside the motel room again. There were still a few things that they had to investigate. Namely, Riolu's account of the day before. Rotom took pictures of everything, even the inside of the motel room. It seemed that nobody had reported the mess yet by some strange coincidence. Moon was inside, looking over the room for any signs of a struggle.  
  
All she found was exactly what Hau had already told her was to be found. A broken tablet on the floor. Among that, were a couple of poetry books and a children's story book in a drawer that contained Gladion's clothes. She tried to turn on the tablet, but she had no luck. She wondered if perhaps he had been making a call on it when it was broken. Why else would it have been left out of his bag? Which of course, was also missing. The chunk of the door also showed that it had been punched through.  
  
Most likely not by a human, either. Or at least, not an  _adult_ human. The punch marks still left behind in some wooden shards were small, curiously enough. It was clear however, from the lack of much destruction besides this that there was no struggle. Which made sense, if they had truly agreed to settle things through battle as Riolu recounted. She looked outside the exposed doorway again to see Hau bent over and examining strange pieces of something... _familiar_ looking on the ground.  
  
Rotom began pulling up pictures he had taken of Type:Null. "Is it ju-u-ust me, or does that lo-o-ook kind of like Type:Null's mask?" he pondered. Hau flinched his hand away from the piece he had just been touching at this question. There was a multitude of marks on the pavement. He could tell for the most part the source of most of them. Including burn marks and stray pieces of rock scattered along the street, and some even into the grass. There were even a mass amount of petals scattered around the area.  
  
Some of them were also burned or dirtied by the rocks that had hit them. The entire time he looked around at everything, Riolu had been recounting the more vivid details through Rotom's translation. He turned his head to look at Riolu, almost hesitant to ask about the broken mask. "Did...he bring out a pokémon that looked like a chimera? L-Like this?" he asked, pointing to Rotom's screen. Riolu examined it carefully, before nodding and speaking directly to Rotom.  
  
"Rio! Riolu ri, riolu ri ri. Ri- ...Riii...riolu, lu lu! Lu, riolu ri."  
  
"He-e-e says that i-i-it's mask broke off. E-E-Everyone looked scared for some reason, but then Gladion said something about it's shackles being- Zzt! -broken by b-b-bonds," he translated. Hau's eyes widened before he sighed in relief. "Thank goodness...so it's alive then?" Riolu nodded, "Riolu lu. Rio ri, lu lu lu." Rotom floated forward to translate again, "He says yes, but he was knocked out in the battle. That's when he stepped in to help." Hau nodded, patting the Riolu's head as he smiled.  
  
"Thank you for trying to protect him. We'll get him back, I promise."  
  
"So-o-o, we've- Zzt! -concluded that nothing happened here after Riolu was knocked out. Lo-o-ooks like we can start our plan."  
  
"So does that mean you didn't find anything?" Moon suddenly called as she exited the motel room.  
  
Hau stood up to address her properly, "Not really. It looks like Type:Null's mask broke, but...it didn't go on a rampage and it didn't die like Gladion predicted. It seems like it's bond with him prevented that from happening." Moon nodded, turning to look at Rotom as she held out the tablet to him. "Rotom, I need you to see if you can trace any data from the chip that's in this thing." Rotom examined it closely, "Hmmm...it won't be easy to access when it's been damaged. But I  _can_ access it."  
  
"Good. While we're initiating the plan, work on accessing the call records. I wanna know if he contacted someone before he was attacked."  
  
"Wi-i-ill do, ma'am! Zzt!"  
  
Moon pulled out her pager, calling for a Charizard taxi for 2. Hau called out his Noivern, who was confused and disoriented by the mess it was standing in. "Vern?" it squawked. Hau snapped his fingers to get his attention, "Noivern, focus. Gladion's been taken, along with all his pokémon. That includes Crobat. I need you to give Riolu a ride and follow our Charizard taxi." Noivern nodded, completely understanding the situation. It bent over, allowing Riolu to climb onto it's back safely and securely.  
  
It didn't take long for the Charizard to show up. Once Moon and Hau geared up, they boarded the powerful pokémon and strapped themselves in. They looked to Noivern and nodded at it. It nodded back, spreading out it's wings to prepare for flight. Then, Hau finally gave the order as he finally mentally prepared himself. "Let's go," he said. Moon kicked the Charizard's thigh lightly with her ankle, signalling it to take off. Noivern followed swiftly, keeping up with the taxi steadily.  
  
_This is it...it's all or nothing now. I just hope I can handle **her**..._  
  
_Don't worry Gladion...I'll be there soon..._

* * *

  
Gladion woke up in a cold sweat as he looked around. He was...in the infirmary? He looked down at his hands. His left wrist was cuffed to his bed. He ran his still free hand through his hair as a migraine came on. As he brought his hand down, he noticed he had a bandage over his nose.  _That's strange..._ he thought. He didn't have time to think about it right now. He had to get out of here. He had all but forgotten nearly everything as he began jimmying the cuffs with his free hand.  
  
But it was of no use. There was no way to pry them off by hand. He looked around again. But he was interrupted in his thoughts as another migraine hit him. His brain was desperately trying to catch up. To warn him of  _something_. But what? He shook his head again. "Focus...! Gotta..." he trailed off, noticing a metal rod near the foot of his bed. That was curious. He reached out to grab it, struggling to reach it with his hand cuffed tightly to the other end. He strained hard, twitching his fingers desperately.  
  
Finally, he got a grip on it and he slumped back as he pulled it closer. He breathed heavily, almost out of breath from the couple of seconds he had strained himself. Why was it so exhausting already? Another migraine hit him, causing him to drop the rod onto the floor by accident. He cursed aloud to himself, " _Shit_...!" He was becoming thoroughly agitated now. He shook his head violently as he gripped at his hair, ready to pull it out forcefully at any moment from pure frustration.  
  
"Dammit, stop it! Make it  _stop_!"  
  
Suddenly, it all came rushing back to him. His mother's sickening singing. The dark corridor. The sculptures. The ice preservations of contorted death. The Type:Null among them...Sweetpea. He felt bile rise up in his throat again as tears pricked at his eyes. He couldn't hold it in this time, turning his head towards the floor to avoid making a mess on the bed that he would have to sit in. He choked, the acid burning his throat and turning his voice raspy and his breath labored.   
  
He was in utter shock. His memories...they just couldn't be right. There was no way that Sweetpea could be dead, right? That was impossible! Why...why was it's mask cracked open like that?! Did it try to tear it's own mask off itself? Was it driven mad and had broken free of it's shackles during it's scuffle? Or did one of his mother's pokémon do that to it? Did  _she_ kill it? Did it die from shock? All of these were mortifying questions he hadn't dared ask himself yet.  
  
As he glanced at the rod on the floor again, he noticed a piece of paper sticking out of it. He blinked, raising a brow as his previous shock had been replaced with curiosity once again. He reached out to grab it, finding it was too difficult to grab over the handrail on the bed. He growled irritably, sticking his hands through the bars in between to get a better angle. Once again, he struggled to even touch it with the tips of his fingers. If he could just roll it closer to him...  
  
He strained massively. His exhaustion from the physical tribulation his mother had put him through were making it far more difficult to reach. However, by some miracle, he once again managed to scoop up the rod. He pulled back up towards him, careful not to drop it again as he took out the rolled up paper sticking out of it. He rolled it out flat as best he could with his right hand. As he read it's contents, he was left frozen in shock again. His tears fell down his face and he scowled in frustration.  
  
_Dearest Gladion,_  
  
_You must be quite exhausted after our little chat._  
_I've decided, that since I already have the Type:Full in my possession..._  
_I want to see just how badly you want to leave._  
_I have given you this rod as a gift. You can use it to free yourself from those handcuffs._  
_Only, one problem...you'll have to break that hand of yours._  
_What an obstacle **that** must be for you._  
_But if you truly wish to leave so badly, then go ahead._  
_**Do it**._  
  
Gladion growled in frustration, crumbling up the paper and ripping it to shreds. There really was no limit to how far this woman would go to taunt him. Was this what he should expect from now on? From now until the day he died...was this all that was waiting for him every time he woke up? He looked down at the rod nervously, glancing at his cuffed hand again. There had to be some other way to get them off. There just  _had_ to be! He looked around again.  
  
Suddenly, his eyes landed on a clock sitting by the sink. He blinked at it. It was the sort of clock that displayed the date  _and_ time. He read it carefully, squinting his eyes at it as it was just far enough away that it was a bit difficult to make out in his disoriented state. But he managed. And it made the color drain from his face. Had he...been out for an entire  _day_? How long had he been here?! He noticed the clock read that it was close to dusk now. It wouldn't be long before someone checked on him or fed him.  
  
If he could even have faith in such luxuries, that is. He tightened his grip on the rod as his eyes narrowed. He would not play Lusamine's game. He would not play into her sick, twisted punishment. So long as he was here, if he had to suffer the rest of his life while Hau was out there living a peaceful and safe life...he would at least bite back. That was the only way he could honor his beloved for the rest of his days here. That meant he couldn't crack under the pressure so easily. He wasn't a coward.  
  
Almost as if on cue, the door to his room began to open. Quickly, he hid the rod under his blanket and positioned himself to look unconscious. Footsteps approached him slowly, as he heard a voice over his bed. It wasn't one he recognized. It appeared to be an employee of some sort. Maybe...a doctor?  
  
"Looks like he's still out cold."  
  
"What do we do with the food then?"  
  
"Toss it out, just like his lunch and breakfast."  
  
Gladion waited until the voice was closer to his ear, careful not to twitch. "Hey, wait a minute, is that vomi-" Gladion quickly grabbed the rod and swung it upwards towards the voice as his eyes shot open. The source stumbled backwards, holding their now bloodied and bruised face as they screamed in anger. "AH, FUCK! YOU LITTLE SHIT!!!" they bellowed. They looked up, and it was indeed an employee in uniform as he had first suspected. A woman he hadn't seen before.  
  
He growled at her, "Uncuff me,  _now_!" There was a chubby looking employee beside her, a man, who had spun around from his position by the garbage can near the door to see what was going on. It seemed the woman was about to attack him when the man held her back. "Laura, get ahold of yourself! If you put a scratch on him the president is gonna get mad!" he warned. The woman huffed, forcing herself to calm down as she spit blood out of her mouth.   
  
Gladion glared her down, careful not to show a hint of fear or anxiety. He wouldn't be intimidated. Not again. "You two clowns better go tell the president, that she can fuck right off. I'm not interested in playing her stupid little games," he hissed. The woman scoffed, smirking smugly, "You think you're in a position to bargain here, kid? You stole important research.  _You_ only thought about yourself and are acting out like a brat. The only thing your mother is guilty of, is not disciplining your ass sooner."  
  
"You call psychological torment and physical abuse  _discipline_? You goons must be real sick in the head, you know that?"  
  
"Oh quit over-exaggerating already, kid. The fact of the matter is, you stole something that didn't belong to you."  
  
"It doesn't belong to her either! It doesn't belong to  _anyone_! It's not some toy!"  
  
"You're right, kid! It's  _not_ some toy! It's a highly valuable piece of equipment! And  _you_ caused the deaths of  _2_ of them thanks to your reckless behavior! If I were you kid, I'd get some god damn perspective."  
  
"Fuck you. Practice what you preach you hypocrite."  
  
The man got in front of her, pushing her back towards the door, " _Enough_ , Laura. Let's just go tell the president he's awake. There's no point in bickerin' with him." The woman growled, before huffing and turning towards the door. They both left without another word, slamming the door and locking it behind them. He was left alone yet again, fuming and yet exhausted all at once. He sighed heavily. Once again, he was left to glance between the now bloodied rod and his hand.  
  
_I won't play your game...I **won't**..._

* * *

  
It didn't take long to reach the blocked off part of the island. Charizard dove down a few meters ahead of the Police Station, as directed by Moon. Noivern followed, careful to go at a steady pace so Riolu didn't fall off it's back. Once they landed, they all deboarded. The children returned their gear, and sent the Charizard on it's way once again. It looked as though there were heavy storm clouds rolled over the massive walls that surrounded some area the children had never really seen before.  
  
Moon had caught a brief glimpse of this wall. Nanu had already detailed to her it's contents. An abandoned town, now the ultimate playground for the region's most notorious gangsters; The Skull Gang. This was it. This was the base of operations. And surely, this is where they would find Gladion. Rotom flew out of Moon's purse once the ride was over, adjusting itself from the motion sickness it somehow experienced. She glanced towards him expectantly, "Anything yet?"  
  
Rotom shook his head, "No-o-o. Not yet. I-I-I'm getting close- Zzt! -though."  
  
"Good," she looked to Hau, "How do you wanna do this?"  
  
Hau stared at her quietly for a moment, "...What're you working with?"  
  
Moon smirked, tossing out all of her pokéballs to reveal her team. Among them was her Primarina, her Persian, and her Sylveon. But there were 2 that Hau didn't recognize. The first appeared to be a brand new addition to the team. A strange clothed pokémon that at first glance  _looked_ like it was a Pikachu. However, upon further inspection, it was just a sloppily constructed disguise. The face was a bit creepy in nature, with an un-nerving smile etched onto it. It was like a child's crayon drawing.  
  
Beside it, was what Hau vaguely recognized as Moon's Steenee. Now much taller in size, it's mouth was covered up by a strange patch of skin attached to it's torso. It's hair had completely grown out into an elegant styling, and at the top of it's head was a cute little crown. It's lashes were thick, it's eyes held in a seemingly permanent seductive look. Moon giggled, "Meet the new addition to my team, and some familiar faces~. Brionne became a Primarina, and Steenee is now a Tsareena."  
  
Hau pointed down at the creepy clothed pokémon on the ground by her feet. "A-And... _that_?" he asked. She rolled her eyes, "Oh c'mon, you took Acerola's trial didn't you? This is a Mimikyu. I caught it after dark when I finished my trial. Isn't it the  _cutest_ ~?" Hau made a long "Ohhhh!" again as he remembered the Totem Pokémon he had faced. "I guess it freaked me out so bad I erased it from my memory," he gulped. She shot him a dirty look, but huffed.  
  
"Well, what about  _you_? What do  _you_ have? Besides that kickass Noivern, that is."  
  
"Oh! Right! Come on out guys!"  
  
Moon took in Hau's team in full, completely in awe and shock at how much so many of them had grown. "W-Woah! A Raichu, Leafeon,  _and_ Incineroar? Gotta hand it to you, Hau, this is a cool team you've got here!" Rotom interrupted quickly, "E-E-Enough with the compliments! We need to- Zzt! -get moving soon!" The kids nodded, turning to Incineroar and Noivern. Hau pointed them towards the large and secure front door that lead into Po Town.  
  
"Incineroar, Noivern, we'll need you to bust that door down. Can you do that for us?" Hau asked. They both nodded, approaching the door as the others followed close behind. Immediately, they got to work. Incineroar smashed it's fist against it repeatedly, putting multiple dents in it, while Noivern slashed into the air to create shock waves that also left dents and cuts in the door. Riolu watched intently, before suddenly stepping forward much to everyone's surprise.  
  
After a few seconds of simply staring blankly, it rushed forward, kicking into the door with incredible force. The blow left a large circular dent down the middle. The 3 pokémon continued this onslaught, until finally, the door caved in and broke off it's hinges. They noticed immediately that it was pouring rain inside the walls. Rotom retreated into Moon's purse again, not wanting to get soaked and short circuit as it was still tracing the data from Gladion's tablet.  
  
A few faces of confused Skull Gang grunts greeted them as soon as the door tumbled down. Moon scowled, pointing her pokémon towards them. "Overwhelm them, everyone! Don't stop until you've wiped these goons out!" With that, all of their pokémon charged in. The grunts didn't waste a second asking questions as they all called out their pokémon. Things were about to get messy. Hau and Moon stood in the door way, overlooking the ensuing chaos as the rain began to soak them.  
  
"...You ready for this?" Moon asked.  
  
Hau nodded, "Yeah. I'm not gonna leave until I have Gladion with me in my arms again. I won't know he's safe until then."  
  
Moon smiled warmly, "Then let's go rescue this dumb ass, huh?"  
  
Hau smiled back, "Right."

* * *

  
Lillie was sat on the steps of the mansion with Strelitzia, Guzma's Golisopod sitting beside them as they chatted away. All their pokémon were out, either sparring or playing around. This even included Nebby, whom her Toxapex was watching and playing with very cautiously. Meanwhile, her Clefable and Strelitzia's Chansey were locked on a sparring match. Lurantis and Stoutland were having quiet, civil conversation, and Morelull and Espeon were just playfully rough housing.  
  
Lillie was patting Golispod's head as it layed against the steps. She would've let it rest in her lap if it wasn't so heavy. Strelitzia was playing around on her phone, playing a round of Ekans while Lillie played against her in hopes to beat each other's high scores. It was a droll day, all things considered. Curiously enough, Plumeria hadn't been home for a couple of days now. So on the days that Guzma was too busy to train them, the days it was too rainy to leave the town, days like  _this_ one, they could only lay in wait.  
  
They both felt like really testing themselves, but they were stuck trying to pass the time some other way. Suddenly, Stoutland lifted it's head up, as did Espeon. Their ears twitched, and they glanced towards the front door. This quickly grabbed the attention of all the playing pokémon, save for Nebula who was still distracted trying to catch Toxapex's tentacle. Espeon inched closer to the door, mewing curiously as it's tail swayed and it's head tilted. This caught the attention of Strelitzia who lifted her head up.  
  
She was quickly brought out of it as her phone beeped with failure as her Ekans died from hitting the side of the screen. "Oh,  _shoot_! I lost!" Lillie snickered, "You can't let yourself get so distracted, little sis." Strelitzia pouted at her idol, "It's not my fault! Your Espeon and Stoutland are acting all funny!" Lillie raised a brow at this, flipping her phone shut to look at her pokémon. Indeed, she did find that they were strangely occupied with the front door. This set alarms off in Lillie's head.  
  
She stood up, calling out to the still sparring pokémon. "Clefable, Chansey!" They stopped their squabble instantly, looking up to realize what was going on. It was then and only then that Nebula had also noticed that everyone was looking at the door. "Kh..." Lillie grunted, swiftly scooping up Nebby and putting it in her bag to hide it. Golisopod was already preparing itself for any trouble as Strelitzia too rose to her feet. The sounds of screaming grunts and distressed pokémon from outside got closer and closer.  
  
Lillie looked to Strelitzia as she began to sweat, "Zi, go upstairs and get Guzma! Tell him we have intruders!" Strelitzia nodded, rushing up the stairs quickly to get to Guzma's throne room. Once she had entered the balcony, the doors were busted open, and all of Lillie's pokémon alongside Chansey, Morelull, and Golispod jumped in front of her to defend her. In the doorway stood two familiar people that boiled her blood the second she laid eyes upon them.  
  
" _You_..." she hissed. It was her rival, Moon, and the boy that her brother was with the last time she had encountered him. Only strangely enough, he looked furious. They were both soaking wet from the rain. Beside the boy was a Raichu surfing on it's tail, and beside Moon was her Tsareena who had kicked open the doors. Lillie growled, "You have  _some_ nerve, coming in here, you  _wench_!" Moon's eyes widened as her rage took over her. She snapped, " _I_ have nerve?!"  
  
The boy stepped forward, "Where is he?! I want him back right  _now_!" Lillie stared at him perplexed, "Where is  _who_?" This seemed to only make him angrier. "You  _know_ damn well who! Your brother! I know you don't like him but this is a whole new low, even for you! Give him back now, you don't need to torture him!" The answer just left her even more confused. Her brother? Why would she have him? She wanted nothing to do with the bastard. At least, not until she had completed her goal in defeating Moon.  
  
"What are you talking about you idiot? I haven't seen him since I ran him and his pokémon into the ground!"  
  
"You're lying! He was taken by someone in  _your_ colors! You guys have been out for his head since the beginning!"  
  
"I don't know what you're on about, but I don't really care! Any excuse to pummel you two!"  
  
Moon stepped in, "Hau, Lillie, hold on a second!"  
  
Lillie growled at her, "I'm  _done_ talking! Either battle me or get lost!" Before either of them could retort, Strelitzia returned, leaning over the railings to shout out at Lillie. "P-Princess Lillie, I got him!" Hau and Moon froze and both took a step back as Guzma came down the steps. He stopped only once he was beside his Golisopod, his hands shoved in his pockets as he glared at them. At first, he only noticed Moon, focused on his disdain for how much she had humiliated Lillie.  
  
However, this quickly faltered when he noticed Hau. He raised a brow at him, "What the hell are  _you_ doin' here?" Hau blinked in confusion. "You...know who I am?" he asked. Guzma shook his head, internally cursing himself for the slip up. "Don't matter. You got a minute to explain why the fuck you put a hole in my front door, before I blast youse sky high into them storm clouds out there," he threatened. Moon stepped forward, "We know someone from your gang kidnapped our friend. We want him back."  
  
"What the hell are you on about?"  
  
"That's what I said! They're talking complete nonsense, boss!" Lillie interjected.  
  
"Don't lie! We have someone who said they saw your Admin break into our motel room and threaten to take him away!" Hau shouted.  
  
Guzma's brows furrowed, "Admin...?"   
  
"Why would Plumeria kidnap my brother?  _You're_ the ones who are obviously lying here," Lillie snapped.  
  
Suddenly, the situation began to click for Guzma as he began to sweat nervously. But few things added up here. He wasn't able to properly interrogate with Lillie here. What was he supposed to do? Was this why Plumeria had been missing since yesterday? Rotom suddenly beeped loudly. He flew out of Moon's purse, vibrating loudly as a call was displaying on his screen. "Moon, i-i-incoming call from Professor Burnet!" Lillie's glare faltered at the name that she recognized so vividly.  
  
"Professor Burnet...?" she muttered. Moon stared in confusion, "A...Answer it!" Rotom accepted the call, and Burnet's face appeared on his screen. Her hair was even more disheveled than usual, her eyes were baggy and bloodshot and she looked incredibly stressed. "Moon! Thank Arceus you picked up! I'm sorry I didn't call you sooner but I was trying to figure this all out. I-I can't reach the boys and I think something happened to Gladion!" She was flustered, almost like a worried mother.  
  
"B-Burnet slow down, what're you talking about?"  
  
"Gladion called me yesterday. He was just asking me for some advice. But then someone broke into his motel room! I-I guess he dropped the tablet he was using, because his feed went dark and the audio got all fuzzy! I've been working on finding a recording of the call for the past 24 hours and...I-I finally figured out where he might've been taken!"  
  
"Wh-where?!"  
  
"It was some woman, I don't know who it was. Th-they said...they were taking him back to his mother."  
  
The color drained from nearly everyone's faces, including Guzma's. Moon grabbed Rotom, pulling the camera closer to her as if she was certain she heard incorrectly. "Burnet, are you absolutely  _sure_?" she asked. Burnet nodded, "I-I don't know if Hau knows he's gone yet. Can you go find him for me? I-I'm not sure what I should do!" Moon nodded, "No need, Burnet. Hau's right here with me. We're already looking for him. We'll get him back, I promise." Burnet sighed in relief.  
  
"Thank you Moon...be careful. There are cameras everywhere. I'll send you some blueprints I have from when I still worked there. It should make getting inside a little easier. It's not much, but it's all I can do."  
  
"That's all we need, thank you. Go get some rest. We'll take care of this."  
  
With that, Moon hung up. Everyone exchanged glances. All of them held emotion like confusion, apologeticness, fear, and even anger. Hau looked to Moon, and she could see he had already begun crying. Moon was left dumbfounded, and her eyes lit up as Rotom's screen beeped with the blueprints Burnet had sent. She looked them over briefly, before turning away from both Guzma and Lillie. Lillie stepped forward, drawing the attention of Hau and Moon both as she yelled at them.  
  
"Hey! I don't know what's going on here but Plumeria's missing and if what Burnet said is true then she not only has my brother, but she has a living Type:Null in her grasp. She  _cannot_ be in possession of that Beast Killer! It's dangerous!"  
  
Moon glared at her, "What the hell is your point? We already knew all of this!"  
  
"My  _point_ , is that if you think you two are both gonna be able to waltz in there and rescue him and that Beast Killer by yourselves even with those blueprints, then you're  _braindead_."  
  
Hau blinked at her, "Are you...offering to help us?"  
  
Guzma stepped forward as well, " _I'm_ offering to help." Lillie glanced back at him, surprised by his strange behavior. "Boss..." she muttered. He held a hand up, "It's alright, Princess. Plumeria's missin' and a whole lot about this ain't addin' up. I have a feelin' that crazy bitch has somethin' do to with Plum's disappearance." Moon stared at him, remembering well what Nanu had told her before. But she had the feeling something deeper was going on. Like some important detail had been left out of his story.  
  
"Fine. You can help us. But only on one condition."  
  
"Wuzzat?"  
  
"I want you,  _all_ of you to leave me and my friends the hell alone. That  _includes_ Gladion."  
  
"...Fine. Whatever."  
  
Moon nodded in satisfaction, turning towards the door again. Rotom retreated into her purse as it was still raining. Lillie called back all her pokémon, and Guzma followed suit, calling back his Golisopod. Hau and Moon stepped outside to the horde of exhausted and beaten grunts who were overwhelmed by their still standing pokémon. Lillie was about to follow when Strelitzia called out to her from the top of the stairs. She looked back at her and saw a worried look on her face.  
  
"...Be careful, Big Sis..."  
  
"...I will."  
  
She turned away, exiting the mansion and following after Guzma, Moon, and Hau. Moon and Hau called all of their pokémon back, save for Noivern. Riolu ran up to them as Noivern flew up to it's master. Moon took out her pager again, calling for 2 more Charizard taxis. "Where to?" Lillie asked. Moon turned to look at her, "We travel there by Ferry. Aether's pulled out of every station across the region. And they likely haven't gone back since they have Gladion in their grasp."   
  
Guzma and Hau were both left to silently process the situation they had just been made privy to. Guzma didn't have all the facts, but he had a bad hunch of what exactly had just transpired yesterday. Lusamine was already starting to become wary of his loyalty. What better way to punish him than by testing that same loyalty on someone close enough to him to blackmail? Still, he couldn't be completely certain this was the case. He just had to know for himself. For now, he was hoping Plumeria wasn't hurt.  
  
As for Hau, he felt even more horrible that he had let Moon convince him to not leave the second Riolu was healed. Arceus knows what his mother has been doing to him in the amount of time he'd been gone. Now nearly two entire days. After all, Riolu had said it was still early in the morning when the attack had occurred. He could be broken, beaten, or as he had already feared; Dead. He shook his head at the thought as their taxis arrived.  _No...I can't assume the worst. He needs me right now_ he thought.  
  
As they all climbed onto their taxis and began flying off, all their thoughts brewed in dark clouds of emotion and terror.

* * *

 

Gladion woke up again, his eyes slowly fluttering open as he groaned in pain again. The last thing he could remember...was being drugged. He tried to fend off a couple of employees that had chloroformed him. And while he got a couple of hits in from the rod he was swinging around, in the end, he was put out. He slowly sat up, noticing instantly he was sat on a tile floor.  _Why...why am I on the floor...?_ he thought, rubbing his head as it ached with yet another migraine.  
  
His nose began to itch badly. He couldn't resist the urge to pick off the band aid and toss it onto the floor. The pad on it's underside was soaked with blood. Few patches of white still remained. He coughed, his throat still sore from when he had puked earlier. He wondered if he had been out for another day again. Instinctively, he looked down at his left wrist. While it had red markings from the cuffs, it was left mostly in tact. And most importantly, the cuffs themselves were gone completely.  
  
He rubbed his wrist, his eyes wide with shock. Was he freed? Was this another test to see if he'd run? He looked around, noticing immediately that he was back in his mother's bed room. Somehow, he hadn't noticed the sound of a music box playing until now. Perhaps the migraine had impaired his hearing temporarily. The tune was the same one his mother was singing before. He covered his ears as the migraine came back and only worsened with every note that played.  
  
He was sure her aim was drive him just as insane as she was at this point. He didn't know. He just wanted it all to stop. And it did. The music had suddenly been interrupted before it finished. His eyes were closed tightly, so he didn't see what had interrupted it. Frankly, he didn't even care. He sighed in relief, pulling his hands off his ears. As he opened his eyes, they were trained down at his lap. However, his eyes widened as he froze with fear at the sound of heels clicking against the tile flooring.  
  
Very,  _very_ slowly, he lifted his head up find the source of the sound. And what he found was exactly as he had feared. Standing over him was Lusamine's grinning,  _irritating_ face. She absolutely relished in the look of pure fear he gave her. She giggled playfully, sadistically even, "Oh, we have so much catching up to do,  _don't_ we, dear boy?" He stared with the same horrified look silent for a full minute. Slowly, it turned into a scowl. In an act of defiance, he spit on her shoe in disgust. Her expression became a psychotic glare as she frowned at him.  
  
"...You're going to regret that, you ungrateful bastard."  
  
"... _Make me_ , then."

 

* * *

  
Lillie sat in one of the empty seats. This particular ferry didn't have many passengers boarded on it today. Strange, but not impossible. It was silent among everyone as the ferry began to depart. Guzma took off his glasses and pulled down his hood to reveal himself. Hau was sat at the chair of a stray table by the window, staring narrowly at his hands. Moon noticed his tense demeanor and became worried. She approached him, touching his arm lightly to snap him out of his thoughts.  
  
"Hey, everything's gonna be ok. We're gonna rescue him, and kick Lusamine's ass. Just like we planned in the first place."  
  
"...It's not that."  
  
Moon raised a brow at him, "What? What do you mean?"  
  
"Moon, this doesn't make any sense! I've heard those Aether scumbags talking about it before! All Lusamine was hunting Gladion for was his Type:Null! What's different now?"  
  
Lillie looked up at them as she listened in on this conversation. She held her dufflebag in her lap, keeping it close to conceal Nebula. She looked down at it again as she spoke up. "It's probably  _me_ that's different," she admitted. Moon raised a brow at her, shooting her a nasty glare. "What's  _that_ supposed to mean?" she snapped. Lillie remained calm, still not looking up at them as she continued. "I ran away from my mother too. Guess it pushed her over the edge. She was feeling merciful-"  
  
She stopped herself briefly as she corrected herself. The thought was too disturbing, "... _Sane_ enough to let Gladion off the hook. After all, he didn't matter to her plans. Just the Beast Killer did." She finally met their eyes, not a hint of emotion in her face nor her voice as she finished her explanation. "I cut the last string of sympathy she had left," she stated, bluntly. The explanation only frustrated Hau more. "What plans? Why does she even  _wanna_ see these Ultra Beasts so bad?!" he snapped.  
  
She didn't skip a beat as she retorted emotionlessly.  
  
"She  _doesn't_."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Hau, Moon, and Guzma all shouted in shocked unison at the strange answer. Lillie blinked at them, not even paying mind to Guzma's reaction. "How much has my brother told you about our little family unit, exactly?" she asked. Hau sneered, "Well...he told me that you guys lost your dad in some kind of accident. And...after that, she started obsessing about these weird beasts so much that she abused you guys and drove you away." Lillie scoffed at this. As if she expected him to know in the first place.  
  
"Hmph...well, it just so happens that the whole reason our dad died in the first place was  _because_ of Ultra Beasts."  
  
Guzma raised a brow at this, "Then wouldn't she curse their very existence?"  
  
Lillie turned her head to look at him, "Not exactly...as she mourned, she became more introverted, more secretive. She stopped showing up to tuck us in, eat with us, celebrate our very births. She wallowed away in her own work so much so that she became deluded. She believed our father wasn't dead, that he was merely transported to Ultra Space. That the Ultra Beasts could give him back to her."  
  
Their faces all contorted into a disturbed grimace. But Lillie was far from finished. "Then she started to obsesses over the Beasts themselves. How powerful they were, believing they could mostly certainly do things that made mortality and terminal illness look like a joke," she continued. Moon cringed in disgust at all this. "So...instead of just seeking out comfort she drove herself  _mad_?" she asked in disbelief. She nodded in confirmation of this and everyone was left with stunned silence.  
  
She turned away, her eyes darkening a bit, "My brother stood up to her once...when he was very little. It was the last time he dared to, either. When she broke his hand, he became too afraid of her to oppose her. Or so I thought..."  
  
Hau raised a brow at her again, "What do you mean?"  
  
"Even though his overall plan was to escape Alola, he  _did_ steal from mother. I was surprised, honestly. And at first...I felt sorry for him. But his plan was a mess. It was clear he wasn't thinking and thanks to him he got 2 of those Type:Nulls killed." She scowled, narrowing her eyes at Hau in disgust. "That coward had to drag them into an even deeper hole than they were already in," she hissed. Hau scowled back at her as his blood began boiling. He became fed up with her attitude as he snapped.  
  
"He's  _not_ a coward! When he thought I was captured, he was going to come for me! And he's come a long way since I first met him...he didn't know a lot about battling. He was barely even comfortable with it. But now he shares amazing bonds with his pokémon and he's learned to accept battling isn't pointless or harmful if your heart is in the right place. Hell, he even stood up to his kidnappers until the last possible second! He's braver than you'll  _ever_ be!"  
  
"Stupid! Battling is a means of strength and nothing else. There is no 'friendship' in it."  
  
Moon scowled at her in disgust, "You mean to tell me you  _don't_ care about your pokémon?"  
  
Lillie turned her glare in Moon's direction, "I mean to say that battling has never been about anything other than proving a point. Listen, if my mother has that Type:Null in her hands, she needs to be stopped now. But I'm not gonna sit here and listen to you two lecture me about  _my_ beliefs. I  _know_ I'm right in all this."  
  
Hau's glare faltered as his brows furrowed. He sighed, all of his rage slipping out of him. He shook his head, "Lillie, it's not about that. The only one who  _is_ wrong is your mother." Lillie eased up her glare as well, giving him an intrigued look. "Well...I guess I can halfly agree with you on  _that_ much. She belongs in an asylum with all she's pulled lately," she spat. Moon's nose twitched as she pouted, "She sure is a nut job from what  _I've_ seen of her." Lillie gave her a look of pity before she muttered, "Most unfortunate you've made so much as her acquaintance..."  
  
Guzma turned away, looking out the window silently. The rest of the trip over was spent detailing each of their infiltration routes with their pokémon beside them. Hau was only slightly distracted, his thoughts blocking out the fluff in between Moon's explanation as he looked down at his hands again. Then, Riolu grabbed his shoulder to gain his attention. He looked back at it, instantly noticing it's reassuring look. It nodded at him, "Ri." Hau smiled back in return, his thoughts disbanding again as he focused.  
  
_We'll save him together...that's a promise._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha jk I'm totally still gonna do daily uploads what's good my little noodles? .w.


	51. Chapter 50 - Let Me Face My Fears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillie, Hau, Moon, and Guzma all initiate their plan to invade Aether Paradise. However, things go awry fast as they discover a few things that don't quite add up during their mission to locate and rescue Gladion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've heard your concerns my little noodles, and I'll cease daily uploads for now. However, we _will_ be finished by the end of this month, so keep an eye out for the next 8 chapters to come. Don't worry, it's not gonna be another month or week long hiatus or anything extreme like that lol. Love you all bunches ~♥♥♥

"Alright, let's all go over the plan one last time."  
  
Everyone was gathered around Rotom now. Moon's finger was placed firmly on his screen, sliding along it as he zoomed in on various point of the blueprint he displayed as she explained once again. "In 6 minutes, we'll arrive at the front gates of the facility. Which means we'll be in the main lobby upon entry," Moon began. She looked to Lillie who nodded and began to recite her route. "I will go downstairs to the basement labs to find Type:Null and search for Gladion," she stated.  
  
She looked to Guzma next.  
  
"I'll be going up to the upper floors where her offices are to see if I can find the president and my partner. If I'm lucky, I'll find the kid."  
  
She turned to look at Hau.  
  
"I'll head to the security room to disable all the cameras, and when I'm inside, see if I can find him through one of those."  
  
She turned her head back towards the screen as it detailed her own route. "Meanwhile, I'll guard the lobby to make sure nobody follows you guys on your routes. If none of you find what you're looking for, we rendezvous back at the lobby and go to the mansion in precisely one hour," she explained. Hau nodded, turning his head look at all of their pokémon, including Riolu. "And everyone will storm the building, and we'll all each take one partner with us on our routes. Right?" he repeated.  
  
Moon nodded, "That's right."  
  
"I'll take Stoutland."  
  
"Golisopod's comin' with me."  
  
"And...I'll be taking Riolu."  
  
"Alright then, everyone else stays in the lobby with me to help keep the guards off your backs," Moon said. She handed Lillie and Guzma their phones that she had taken previously. "Here, Rotom's number is in there. Call me if you've run into trouble and I'll send some spare pokémon up to aid you." Lillie raised a brow as she looked past Moon's shoulder to look at Hau. "And what about  _him_?" she asked. Moon sighed, "We'll...have to improvise on that end. Just worry about your own sections, got it?"  
  
Everyone nodded in understanding. And in the nick of time, the port to Aether Paradise was coming dangerously close into view. They all hurried towards the deboarding center. They exchanged glances one last time, before the ferry slowly came to a complete stop. "This is it...once we step off this thing all hell breaks loose," Moon breathed. Lillie smirked, "Hmph. It should be no challenge for  _you_ , trial-goer~" Moon rolled her eyes, taking the first step onto the board that lead to the concrete pavement.  
  
They all drew in a sharp breath, before charging for the entrance. A few employees walking around outside spotted them, but they were quickly apprehended by Noivern's deafening screeches and Tsareena and Leafon's vine whips. They bolted inside, Toxapex immediately unleashing it's spikes on the clerks at the desks to poison them and knock them unconscious before they could alert the guards. Thankfully, there was nobody near the elevator or the entrance to the mansion.   
  
Lillie boarded first, riding atop her Stoutland's back. She quickly entered the coordinates for the basement labs and was swept down. Everyone waited patiently for the elevator to return, which eventually it did, completely empty of anyone. Guzma boarded next with his Golisopod and went up. Hau glanced at Moon as they waited for it to return. "Moon?" he called. She returned his gaze. He had a worried look in his glimmering eyes that she had seen before. "...Thanks, for everything you've done."  
  
She smiled softly, "No problem. It's what friends do, right?" He smiled back and nodded. The elevator returned once again, and he boarded with Riolu following close behind. For the last time, the elevator shot down as it's residents disappeared. Moon turned around, keeping her eye out for any guards. No alerts had gone off yet, but surely that would change within a matter of minutes. She just had to have faith that everyone could carry out their jobs quietly.

* * *

  
Admittedly, she had never seen this part of the facility before. Not like Gladion had. So upon first glance, it seemed all too easy. She guided her Stoutland through the first and only door upon landing at her desired destination. Strangely enough, there didn't seem to be anyone else down here. She wondered if it was a trap her mother set up. It wouldn't surprise her in the least bit. She continued on her path, until she reached the first door of the hall. Lillie jumped down from her Stoutland's back as she approached it.  
  
There was nothing of interest in this room. There was no sign of Type:Null  _or_ her brother. There was no sign of anyone. What was going on here? One by one, she kept on investigating each and every room she came across. Eventually, she reached one room in particular that stuck out like a sort thumb among the rest. Upon entering, she could see a compartment in the wall with rusted bars like a cage. It had no lights in it. Beside it was a PC that was currently powered off for some reason.  
  
She walked up to it, trying to turn it on but to no avail. She decided it was best not to waste her time. She dug through every crevice of the room, every drawer and fiddled with every computer. Just as she was about to give up, a certain desk had a red strap of some kind poking out of one of it's drawers. She picked the lock with a bobby pin, sliding it open to see what it was. She was surprised to find it was the same satchel bag she had seen Gladion wearing before.  
  
She pulled it out, opening it up to view it's contents. There were a couple of berries, scarcely any healing sprays, a strange bottle that appeared to be filled with tea, a small bag filled with pokébeans, a Z-Ring, a Z-Crystal, and...she raised a brow in confusion. All of his pokéballs were still inside. She pulled one out, pushing the button on it and tossing it into the air to call out whatever was inside of it. A disoriented Umbreon with bangs that obstructed 75% of it's vision came from the light and looked around frantically in confusion.  
  
It's eyes quickly fell on Lillie. As soon as she saw it, she recognize it as the Eevee he had used to battle her before. Before it could even react, she called it back and put the ball back into his bag. "They're...all still here. Even the Luxury Ball. She hasn't released Type:Null yet?" she concluded to herself. Something wasn't right here. Why wouldn't she have already utilized and imprisoned the Type:Null by now? Even if she changed her mind about Gladion, her main concern was just getting Ultra Beasts and opening a wormhole.  
  
She shook her head, there was no time to think about all this. She closed the bag, and wrapped it around herself ontop of her dufflebag. She quickly exited the room, only to find her Stoutland being provoked by several Aether Foundation employees in gas masks and quarantine suits. She growled in irritation. "Alright you maggots, you wanna play? Let's play..." she growled through her gritted teeth. Her Stoutland mimicked the sound, growling low and menacingly. She pulled out her flip phone, dialing Moon's Rotom.  
  
"Hey, gonna need some of that back-up right about now..."

* * *

  
For the first time since hearing all this craziness, Guzma was alone with his thoughts. Alone to think properly.  _Feel_ properly. Well...for the most part. He punched a wall in aggravation as he shouted aloud in anger. "DAMMIT! What the fuck's goin' on anymore?!" His Golisopod stared at him worriedly. It had seen Guzma like this before. He often threw tantrums like this, especially when he was drunk. He was childish, he always had been and always would be.  
  
But this anger seemed desperate and much more sorrowful than the other times. As it his whole world had crumbled within a matter of seconds. "I should've just went to Nanu...! Shit! How am I supposed to get around all this?" he growled. He was fed up. He was tired. He was lost in a sea of emotions between worry for Plumeria, regret for Lillie, and fear of Lusamine. He couldn't keep his back against the wall like this forever. Eventually, he would crack, or someone would crack him open themselves.  
  
He knew in the back of his head he shouldn't waste time like this. But he was beyond controlling himself. He sighed deeply as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Arceus damn all this..." he muttered. Golisopod placed on of it's large arms on it's master's back, chittering comfortingly to him. He turned, petting Golisopod gently to calm it down. "S-Sorry, buddy. I just...I've fucked up with a lot lately if ya haven't noticed." Golispod nodded in understanding, taking it's hand off it's master's back.  
  
Guzma forcefully composed himself. He had to focus. All the things rushing in his head weren't as important as the mission at hand. He turned, heading down the hall again as Golisopod followed him. Guzma had been in this building a few times before, but he hadn't seen much outside of this area and sometimes Lusamine's own mansion. He wasn't allowed in the laboratories since he was canonfodder to her, which was clear since his first day working beneath her. Not that he minded, he had seen plenty of evidence to support her crazy.  
  
And yes, it was crazy. But it was crazy that existed. Dangerous crazy that was now in the tip of her fingers. He just had to keep Lillie away from her, both to protect himself and her. Even if that Cosmog was still tired, it wasn't worth risking Lusamine discovering that it was right under her nose. And one thing was for certain, it was practically like a baby. Which meant it was dangerously naive. Hopefully, Lillie could keep a proper leash on it. It was the only pokémon in her possession that she didn't train or discipline as harshly as the others.  
  
He eventually reached Lusamine's office, turning the knob and finding to no surprise that it was locked. He looked to his Golisopod, "Mind helpin' me out here, buddy?" Golisopod nodded, slamming one of it's massive plated arms into the door in a destructive punch that busted a hole in the door. Guzma gave it a pat and a proud smile, "Thanks, champ. Now let's go see about figurin' out where Lusamine is, eh?" They both entered the room, looking around curiously. Guzma's eyes quickly landed on a paper that had just landed on linoleum floor of the room.  
  
His eyes narrowed. Someone was in here. He looked around at all the possible hiding spots, but the only one he could see was the desk that was already right in front of him. He looked to his Golisopod, nodding his head towards the desk in a silent order to tip it over. Golispod nodded, stomping towards the desk and gripping the undersides of the top with it's massive claws. Without waiting for further instruction, it flipped the desk over, revealing a cowering woman in white attire and pink glasses that whimpered with terror.  
  
"P-P-P-Please don't! I-I was j-just looking f-for the president! I-I didn't mean t-t-to snoop!"  
  
Guzma raised a brow at this and sneered. She didn't seem to even register he was there yet. He walked up, holding up his hands to calm her down. "Woah woah woah, slow down lady!" The woman stared up at him with amber eyes. He blinked at her incredibly odd purple hair that was puffed up immensely. She readjusted her glasses as she gawked in disbelief. "Y-Y-Your the...Skull Gang l-leader. Wh-what're you doing here?" she quivered. He sweat a bit. Perhaps Lusamine hadn't realized he had betrayed her just yet. Maybe he could still swing this.  
  
"O-Oh uhhh, I got a call from errr...President Lusamine. She wanted to ask me to uhhh...e-escort the prisoner t-to my headquarters."  
  
"Prisoner? Wait, she called you h-here? I wasn't notified of this. Wh-what prisoner? You aren't here t-to...steal anything?"  
  
"What? No! Why would I do somethin' like  _that_?"  
  
She pointed to the broken door, "You...smashed a hole in the door."  
  
"I'm a little cranky today, s-so what?!"  
  
The woman slowly rose to her feet. She still didn't really understand what was going on, but she knew one thing was for sure, he was an awful liar. "M-Mr...G-Guzma, correct? F-Forgive me f-for speaking out of turn, b-but...I-I don't believe you!" He blinked at her, cursing internally at himself.  _Shit! The jig is up! I gotta put her out before-_ "President Lusamine has  _never_ worked with criminals! A-And you're definitely here to make some trouble! I-I don't know what this is about, but I'm going to have to report this!" she sputtered.  
  
He blinked blankly, as did his Golisopod, who tilted it's head in confusion. "I...what?" he said. The woman pouted at him indignantly, putting her hands on her hips. "W-We don't take kindly to trespassers! And I won't be intimidated by the likes of  _you_!" she snapped. "What the hell are you talkin' about lady? Are you new or somethin'? I've been under her bootheel for little over a year now!" The woman seemed to consider this answer very seriously. Her glare faltered and she blinked at him in frantic confusion.  
  
"Th-that...that can't be right! You're-"  
  
"And that prisoner I'm talkin' about is her son. You know, the one who ran away? That she hired me and my boys to go find in the first place?"  
  
Her eyes went wide and she gasped. She took a step back, shaking her head in disbelief. Her back hit the desk, and she slid down to the floor in anguish. "No...no no no no! You're making all this up!" she pleaded. He was genuinely confused at her reaction. She clearly wasn't just acting. But what benefit did it serve Lusamine not to let her in on his involvement, let alone that she had found Gladion? Unless... He pulled her back up to her feet, "Hey. What's yer name?" She blinked at him sheepishly, "I- Wh-what?!"  
  
"Your name, lady! What the fuck is it?!"  
  
"I-I'm Professor Wicke!"  
  
"Are you tryin' to psyche me out, or are you really tellin' the truth?"  
  
"I-I should be asking  _you_ that, good sir!"  
  
Guzma glared her down for a moment. He considered his next move long and hard. Then, he released her wrist from his grasp and took a step back. He sighed heavily,  _hoping_ he wasn't about to make a grave mistake. "Alright, let me level with you. Right now, I'm infiltratin' this place with a couple of kids. We don't have a lot of time and we're tryin' to find Lusamine's son and my partner Plumeria. Now do you know  _anything_ that might help us? I'm  _beggin'_ ya here." Wicke stared at him quietly for a moment. She too had to consider her next words carefully.  
  
"...Who are these children, exactly?"

* * *

  
Hau and Riolu hadn't stopped running since they had left the elevator. They both had to hurry to make sure they made it to their designated area. Time was of the essence, and Hau wasn't in a very wasteful mood right now. They kept turning corners rapidly, trying to locate the room on the blueprint. In the back of his head, Hau remembered Gladion telling him about how he had broken in on one of the many nights they stayed up cooing at each other like lovesick puppies.  
  
It wasn't even for his escape plan. It was merely just to investigate his mother's secret project. What helped him fully discover the lengths at which his mother went to get what she wanted. What lead to that dreadful day that he recounted so horrifically to him all that time ago. All of this was so unfair. But one thing was certain for him, he would keep his promise. He couldn't let Lusamine hurt Gladion again. He deserved to be safe. He deserved to live a normal life. Hau would protect that, no matter what.  
  
They had finally reached the room they had been looking for. The door was locked, as was predictable. Riolu backed up, jumping up and kicking into the door with barely success in making a crack or a dent, much less breaking it. It stepped back again, and at first Hau thought it might prepare to continue it's onslaught. But instead, it just closed it's eyes again as it's appendages lifted up. He noticed it bring it's hands up in almost a prayer-like gesture. Then, a blue flame formed between it's paws.  
  
"Riiiii..."  
  
Hau backed away as the flame grew bigger. His eyes widened in awe as he noticed Riolu had begun glowing with a bright white light. But that didn't break it's concentration. Once the blue orb was about the size of a small pumpkin, Riolu was engulfed entirely in the light. It became taller, and it's ears became a bit longer as they stuck out more. It grew an extra appendage on each side of it's face as well. The small bumps on it's hands extended into spikes, and it's tail grew longer as it thinned out a bit.  
  
Hau could see it shift slightly. The light began to fade just as the orb reached the size of a watermelon. Then, the pokémon fired the attack at the door, completely breaking it apart and revealing a single employee sitting at the controls with headphones on. He seemed distracted by his blasting tunes. The newly-evolved pokémon turned to look at Hau, "Car..." Hau blinked at it, "Woah...you evolved...!" The pokémon nodded, entering the room slowly and raised up it's paw before chopping into a pressure point on the employee's neck to knock him out.  
  
He fell to the floor with a hard thud. Once he was properly dealt with, Hau entered the room and looked between all the screens that displayed various areas of the foundation. He found one camera that showed Wicke talking to Guzma. At first he was worried, but he remembered Wicke's resolve the last time they had spoken. Despite his disdain for her, he knew she wasn't lying. He kept looking, finding Lillie fighting her way through hordes of masked employees with her Stoutland, Lurantis, and Clefable.  
  
He noticed as well that she had Gladion's satchel with her. His companion pokémon was searching the screens as well. Eventually, it spotted something and pointed towards a particular feed. "Lucario! Car cario!" it cried in it's gruff voice. Hau turned to look at what Lucario was pointing at, and froze. He smiled with relief at the sight he beheld. "It's Gladion...! He's alive!" he breathed as he tried to hold back tears. However, his happiness melted into horrific panic as he noticed Lusamine enter the room.  
  
It was only then he had noticed Gladion was covering his ears for some reason. He seemed to be in pain. Lusamine moved out of frame for just a moment, and for some reason, Gladion took his hands off of his head. He seemed to relax. He definitely wasn't even aware that Lusamine had entered. However, as she walked into view again to approach him, he finally looked up at her. He looked so  _mortified_. Hau turned up the audio on this feed to listen in carefully on it.   
  
_"Oh, we have so much catching up to do, **don't** we, dear boy?"  
  
_He couldn't really see Gladion's face all that well, but he could tell that his nose had a large gash on it. Gladion seemed to scowl as his face contorted in disgust. Hau gasped when he suddenly spit on Lusamine's shoe. He could hardly believe he had even just done that. Had she angered him? He had never seen him irritated like  _this_ before. He couldn't see Lusamine's face at all, but the silence was maddening. Eventually, she spoke up. And her tone was  _terrifying_.  
  
_"...You're going to regret that, you ungrateful bastard."  
  
"... **Make me** , then."  
  
_Before he could see what had happened next, Lucario pulled him back to reality and reminded him of his job. He shook his head, turning down the volume of the feed as he whispered to himself, "Sorry, alola...I'll come get you soon...!" He worked fast, disabling all the cameras across the facility. Once he was done, he stepped back towards the door. For good measure, Lucario fired another blue orb in to the controls to completely destroy them and render them obsolete.  
  
Hau turned, running back for the elevator faster than he had ever gone in his life. Simultaneously, his prayers had been answered, but his worst fears had been realized. He had to get back downstairs and into that mansion,  _now_. He had no idea what possessed Gladion to provoke her like that. But he could only hazard a guess as to what he'd been enduring the past 40 hours. They reached the elevator quickly, Hau slamming his fist down on the button to take him down. His breathing was heavy and panicked.  
  
_Just hang in there, Gladion...I'm coming!  
  
_

* * *

  
Lillie was the first to return to the lobby. Upon arrival, she found several knocked out employees around the place. On top of that, Moon seemed at her wits end. She approached her, her pokémon close behind her. "I found the Type:Null along with the rest of his belongings. Including a Z-Ring," she explained. Moon nodded, "A-Alright, that's good. His team is safe. Have you heard from Guzma?" Lillie shook her head, "No. I haven't even been able to attempt reaching him. Is he unresponsive?"  
  
"I think he may have been compromised..."  
  
"Shit...! What do we do now?"  
  
"Wait for him or Hau to come down here. We just have to defend the elevator."  
  
"We're going to run out of time here, Moon. We have to think of some other-"  
  
Their quarrel was interrupted when the elevator shot up suddenly. They both approached it, staring intently as they waited for it to return. And eventually, it did, with Hau and Lucario both on it. As soon as the rails retracted into the ground, Hau darted off alongside Lucario. He was panicked, like a Deerling in headlights. "Girls! I-I found out where Gladion is! We have to go to the mansion,  _now_!" he sputtered. Lillie eyed up his Lucario curiously, not recognizing the previously un-evolved pokémon at first.  
  
"W-Wait, Hau, slow down. He's in the mansion?"  
  
"Yes! And he's with Lusamine! We have to go down there,  _now_!"  
  
"But what about Guzma-"  
  
"We can't wait for him! Just text him and tell him where we're going! Moon, she's going to hurt him!"  
  
"A-Alright! Alright...Lillie, you coming?"  
  
Lillie nodded, turning to her pokémon, "All of you stay back except for Stoutland!" Moon looked to her own pokémon as well, "You guys too. Tsareena, you're with me!" Hau had already run ahead, Lucario following close behind. The girls followed after him, easily trekking through the single employee that stood in their way as Lucario knocked it out with it's blue orbs. Rotom was following as fast as he could, still attempting to alert Guzma to their coordinates.

* * *

  
Aside from the constant clatter of heels in a circle around him, there was also the sound of his tears hitting the floor. The pain in his left hand was excruciating, but hardly comparable to it's  _first_ infraction. It bruised. It bled. And yeah, it hurt like  _hell_. But that's all it was. Hurt. In the back of his head, he could be relieved about that much. Lusamine continuously circled him, like a Mandibuzz slowly inspecting it's prey. It seemed as though all of her amusement had been drained completely out of her.  
  
"You are truly  _pathetic_ , Gladion..."  
  
Gladion was trying his best not to slither back into his cowardly demeanor. He didn't want to give her that. The only stopping him from holding his tears back was the horrible pain. "Stop this, Lusamine. You don't have to do this!" he tried to reason. She seemed surprised at his form of address as her brows shot upwards. "Finally stopped calling me 'mother', have you? Well, you're at least  _half_ sane," she mocked. He grabbed onto his left arm, trying to pull his head up.  
  
"You got what you wanted...just leave me and Lillie alone! Let me go!"  
  
He let out a shaky breath before adding reluctantly, " _Please_..." She stopped in her tracks. She began to snap like a twig again. "'Let you go'? 'Leave Lillie alone'?" she repeated. Lusamine scoffed at the  _ridiculous_ requests. She kept on her trail until she was in front of him again. "Did you  _forget_ what you two have  _done_ to me?" she snapped. Lusamine squatted down to his level, roughly grabbing his chin and squeezing his jaw as she pulled his face up to look into his fearful and hate-filled eyes.  
  
She only stared back with cold, emotionless ones. "You know at first I was going to  _spare_ you, Gladion. I really, truly was. All I wanted was my Beast Killer," she said. For some odd reason, Gladion didn't see this statement as a lie. After all, at this point, she had no reason to lie to his face about her intentions. Then again, she  _was_ completely mad. "But then...Lillie stabbed me in the  _back_!" she snapped. She leaned in closer to his face, "Just...like... _you_."  
  
She leaned back again, her eyes seeming to calm a bit in a tired scowled, "And I realized...'Whatever am I being merciful for?' After all...you  _killed_ 2 of the only 3 I had prepared." Even under her grip, he managed to hang his head as his bangs fell over his eyes. He could only sob silently as she rambled. "And right after I gave Lillie my Cleffa...when she finally had everything she could ever want," Lusamine roughly pushed Gladion's face to the side as she let go of his jaw. She stood up, glaring down at him psychotically again.  
  
"She stole  _my_ research!" she snapped. Once again she was back to circling Gladion to intimidate him. Perhaps even warp his sanity from the constant clatter of her heels. The sounds were most definitely all maddening. "The only reason she even escaped was a happy accident, unlike  _you_. She had no plan at all. She didn't calculate like you. She was stupid. So I suppose to that end, I'll give you credit, Gladion." Gladion growled at this. He glared at her, following her movements as best he could with his eyes.  
  
"I don't  _need_ your approval,  _Lusamine_..."  
  
Lusamine was beginning to seethe at this point. The one thing she wanted out of him should've been easy to get. But something had changed in Gladion since he had left. This was not satisfactory enough vengeance for her. How could some helpless child keep up this stoic facade for so long, anyways? It made her eye twitch with anger. Still, she knew how to keep herself composed, even with all the madness infecting her mind. She had to think of some way to break him, something that even  _he_ couldn't withdraw a reaction for.  
  
She smirked sadistically as it came to her, "My  _sentries_ tell me you've befriended the  _sweetest_ little boy~"  
  
She heard a gasp and her grin only got wider. Gladion's eyes were wide open now as panic coursed through his head. But it still wasn't quite enough. She still had to push that sensitive little button. "In  _fact_ , I could've  _sworn_ they told me that you said he just means the  _whole world_ to you," she mocked. His whole body was shaking now. He looked up at her, showing the face of fear he had managed to suppress until now. And she absolutely  _relished_ in it.  
  
" _No_...!"  
  
"Oh my~! Do you... _care_  for him~?"  
  
She began to snicker in between her words. With each taunt, Gladion only got more and more panicked. More broken.  _No! How could I have let this happen?!_ he cursed himself internally. But Lusamine wasn't done with him yet. "How adorable. Wouldn't it just be the saddest thing..." she stopped in front of him again, giving a reserved yet psychotic smile, "...if something  _awful_ happened to him~?" That was the last stone against his glass wall that had completely broken his facade.  
  
"Please, Lusamine! Do whatever you want to me but  _don't_ hurt him!" he begged. He was the same sniveling and pathetic mess he was when he younger all over again. The only boy she had come to know after all these years of mutiny and betrayal. She giggled madly, "I thought you said you wanted me to stop. Maybe I should give you a break. After all, he's just as responsible as you are for keeping  _my_ Beast Killer from me. What with  _helping_ you and all." Gladion shook his head frantically, desperately trying to think of a lie,  _any_ lie that might protect Hau.  
  
"H-He...he didn't know anything, I-I swear!" he stuttered. She gave him an unamused frown at this. "Don't  _lie_ , Gladion. It's unbecoming of you," she hissed. He had nothing. Absolutely nothing he said or did was going to matter. All he could do was beg like a pathetic mutt. He hung his head again, sobbing as he choked on his words. " _Please_...don't do this...!" he sniffled. Lusamine rolled her eyes, "You have no one to blame but yourself, Gladion. This wouldn't have happened if you didn't involve him."  
  
She smirked, leaning down towards him again to whisper into his ear, "It's all your fault, Gladion. He's going to get hurt and you let it happen." He put his right hand over his ear, his left one hurting to much to even attempt using. "Get  _out_ of my head...!" he sobbed. She giggled, still leaning in closer to him, moving her head around to his other ear to mock him further. "Oh...? Are you upset that you never even had the backbone to tell him that you  _love_ him~?" He gasped again as his eyes widened. She frowned, standing up again as she looked down on him like an insect.  
  
"How pathetic...you don't even get to die a hero's death, do you...? You just get to  _wither_ like  _garbage_...!"  
  
Suddenly, the doors to the room were burst open, causing Lusamine to flinch in shock. 3 children, all of which she recognized stood in the doorway with their pokémon beside them, including a floating Rotomdex. The first thing they all saw was Lusamine. But they were all quick to look down and discover what they had all feared. Moon gasped in horror, and Lillie's eyes were wide as she could see the blood. Gladion turned his head, spinning himself around a bit to see what the commotion was.  
  
His eyes quickly locked with the boy he had longed to see these past 40 hours. He couldn't even say anything. He was frozen in complete shock. Tears pricked at Hau's eyes, as he, just like the girls, could see the blood soaking the floors. "No...!" he hissed under his breath. He didn't pay Lusamine any mind as he rushed to Gladion's side to check on him. "Gladion!" he shouted. Hearing his name from the younger boy snapped him out of his frozen state. More tears streamed down his face as it seemed he could hardly believe he was there.  
  
"Hau...?!"  
  
Hau pulled him into a tight embrace, pushing his face into his chest. Gladion's brain seemed to shut off from all the shock he was enduring. All he knew is that he didn't want to leave this embrace ever again. He clutched to Hau with his right arm as he sobbed into his shirt. Hau glared up at Lusamine, pulling Gladion a bit away from her as he growled at her. "Get away from him!" he demanded. She was about to retort, when Moon's Tsareena and Lucario stepped forward, as if daring her to do something to them.  
  
She growled, backing away slightly as she scowled at them with a psychotic look of rage. "You...! How  _dare_ you intrude in  _my_ facility you  _wretched_  children?!" she screeched. Moon's face contorted in disgust. She yelled back at her, "The jig is up Lusamine! Surrender now and we  _might_ just go easy on you!" The insulting offer only made Lusamine even angrier. "NEVER!" she screamed, turning and stepping onto her teleportation pad, disappearing in a flash of light.  
  
Everything was silent and still. None of the kids dared to move. Moon and Lillie both stared down at Hau and Gladion with pitiful, horrified looks. Gladion's brain still hadn't even caught up with most of the information he had absorbed yet. He just sobbed into Hau's chest, clutching to him like a lifeline. Hau gently ran his fingers through his hair and rubbed his back soothingly. He was struggling to keep himself composed, overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions himself.  
  
The stagnant moment was interrupted as Guzma finally caught up. "Kids! Is everythin' alright in here?! I got your-" He froze, instantly spotting Gladion and Hau on the floor. He didn't even have to see the blood...he could smell it. "Holy shit...!" he gasped. Moon and Lillie both turned to look at him. They didn't have any idea where to begin at all. But they didn't have time to think about it before Gladion began mumbling again. Everyone's eyes were on him, including Hau as he was pushed away slightly.  
  
"No...! No no no no no no...!" Gladion choked, shaking his head and refusing to look up at Hau. "Hau you can't...! She'll hurt you...!" Even Lillie was left disturbed by the panicked and broken state her mother had put him in. She was left to question all over again what the point of this was. Had her mother gone  _this_ mad? To even impede her own goals without realizing it. All for the sake of getting some sick,  _twisted_ revenge on her  _own_ children? Things were truly not the same. And they never would be again.  
  
Hau bit his lower lip. He was still processing that he had failed to keep yet another one of his promises. His shame and guilt were gnawing away at him. But still, he recognized that now was not the time to feel sorry for himself. He had to snap Gladion out of this if he could, and fast. "Stop," he said, his voice shaky. The strange retort actually gained Gladion's eye contact. " _Please_ ,Gladion. I'm not going to leave.  _Don't_ try to talk me out of helping you now." Even in wanting him to stay, his panic wasn't easily swayed.  
  
"But-"  
  
"E aho, alola."  
  
Gladion's eyes widened as he gasped again. Hau's eyes reluctantly trained down to find the source of the blood. And when he found his answer, he was mortified. He gently grabbed Gladion's still aching hand to get a closer look at it. "What did she do to you...?!" he gasped. Everyone was left with disgusted looks. Including Lillie. Despite the pain, Gladion pulled his hand away and hid it with his other one. "D-Don't look...! I don't want you to see this...!" he pleaded. Hau stared at him, utterly baffled.  
  
The older boy hung his head again as he sobbed through his words. He felt just as ashamed and guilty as Hau did by now. He was once again stuck on the notion of regret. "I'm so sorry...I can't do anything right," he sniffled. Hau blinked at him in confusion. Was he... _really_ blaming himself for all this? "I can't protect you from anything. I never even  _wanted_ to come here!" Hau couldn't take it anymore. He pulled Gladion into another hug, cradling him in his arms tightly. He wouldn't let go this time.  
  
"That's enough. It's alright, alola. I'm here now...everything is going to be fine," he cooed. Gladion didn't even bother trying to argue. He went silent as he settled into Hau's embrace again. Moon finally found it in her to move her legs, getting down on the floor where the boys were and grabbing Gladion's hand with care as she zipped open her purse. "I don't know much, but I can treat this. Did she break it?" Gladion looked at her and shook his head, "No...th-thank you."  
  
She got to work on disinfecting the wound as Hau gently coaxed him through the pain by cooing reassurances in his ear. Lillie's mind was rampant with confusion and horror. Despite her disdain for her brother being very much fresh, even  _she_ knew that her mother's behavior was abhorrent. She stepped forward, gaining the attention of the boys as they looked up at her. She gave her brother a look of pity, before pulling the satchel bag off of her and handing it to him.  
  
"Here..."  
  
"Ah! My bag!"  
  
Gladion instantly opened it with his free hand, looking inside frantically. He sighed with relief when he found all of his pokéballs still inside along with the rest of his belongings. "My pokémon...they're all still here. And so is Silvally." Hau raised a brow at this name, "Silvally?" The older boy met his eyes hesitantly again, "It's...a long story." Hau scoffed in a slight chortle, giving Gladion a saddened smile. "Everything is ok now, Gladion..." he reassured. The older boy's common sense slowly began to return to him.  
  
"Hau..." he whispered. He grabbed onto one of Hau's hands, his face flushing slightly. Both boys gazed at each other with glimmering eyes. "...I'm sorry to cause so much trouble," Gladion muttered. The younger boy frowned at this. "Don't say that...!  _None_ of this is your fault." He leaned in closer to him as her intertwined their fingers and squeezed tightly. "I  _don't_ believe it," he stated. Gladion could only stare back in adoration as he was at a total loss for words. Even now, Hau could soothe his fear as if it were nothing.  
  
"Hau..." he called his partner's name again. Hau brought his other hand up to caress Gladion's cheek. He leaned in slowly, kissing Gladion gently. The older boy quickly relaxed into it, squeezing Hau's hand tightly. He was still crying. The kiss lasted a couple of minutes, each of them constantly leaning into each other over and over again. Eventually, they had to pull away for air, especially since Gladion was exhausted. Hau smiled sweetly, wiping a tear from one of the older boy's eyes with his thumb.  
  
"I'm here..."  
  
Gladion shook his head, "No... _we're_ here."  
  
Guzma and Lillie both stared at them in bewilderment. Guzma blinked, scratching the back of his head as he looked to the side. His brain was too scrambled to even think straight about what he had just witnessed. Lillie on the other hand, raised a brow at this. Finally, all her questions about Gladion's attachment to Hau seemed to be cleared up. Yet still, there was an inkling of curiosity in her. She stepped forward and gained their attention again. Guzma turned his head, noticing a strange smog poke out of her dufflebag.  
  
"Are you-"  
  
Guzma had no time to warn her, and she had no time to react. Suddenly, Nebula leapt from her bag, bounding off onto the floor and flying over the boys's heads. "AH! Nebula, no!" Lillie cried It chirped in an excited and playful tone, seeming restless in it's constant movement. "PEW~!" It kept bouncing forward, eventually landing on the pad before anyone could  _think_ to act. And in an instant, it was gone in a flash of light. Tears came to Lillie's eyes as she suddenly screamed in desperation, darting past the boys and Moon and onto the teleportation pad.  
  
"NEBBY!"  
  
"Princess, wait!"  
  
Then, Lillie too was gone in a flash of light. Guzma cursed under his breath, " _Shit_...!" He darted past the kids, turning around briefly to address them as he stumbled backwards towards the pad. "Stay here and keep treatin' his hand! When yer done, get the boy to the docks, I'll catch up with youse later!" Before anyone could even protest or agree to these orders, he was gone in yet another flash of light as he stepped onto the pad. Moon growled in frustration. Couldn't anyone stick to a plan for Arceus sake?!  
  
She hastily wrapped up her work, wrapping Gladion's hand in some gauze to stop the bleeding. She looked up at Rotom, "Rotom, in my purse!" He didn't bother to ask questions, snuggling into Moon's purse as she stood up. She looked down at the boys, and they could see the agitation on her face. "Hau, get him on a boat and back to Ula'Ula. I'm gonna make sure Lusamine goes down for this!" she instructed, stepping onto the teleportation pad and disappearing into another flash of light.   
  
Once she was gone, Golisopod, Tsareena and Stoutland all followed suit. Gladion hesitantly touched his now-wrapped up hand, pulling it close to his chest. He stared down at it, almost intently. Then, he began to shake in fear again. Hau quickly noticed this, and gently grabbed his injured hand, putting his other one on Gladion's cheek again to get him to look up. And it worked. He had a doe-eyed look, tears streaming down his face still. Hau narrowed his eyes at him, swallowing hard before wiping away his tears again.  
  
"What's wrong...?"  
  
"Hau, I..."  
  
He closed his eyes tightly, "I can't leave. I  _have_ to help." Hau was sent into panic instantly at this. "What?! No! You're hurt! You can't face your mother!" he tried to reason. Gladion suddenly snapped, not out of anger towards Hau necessarily, but more or less out of a frustration with  _himself_. "I can't keep  _running_ , Hau!" he snapped. He looked up at his partner, a determined glint flickering in his eyes. Hau was left speechless yet again. He blinked, staying silent and allowing the older boy to continue.  
  
"I can't be a coward for the rest of my life. My own sister suffered because of  _me_. Lusamine told me herself...she didn't have a plan like I did when she escaped. She was desperate. She was all alone. All because of  _me_. Because I was a coward."  
  
"Gladion, we talked about this."  
  
"But it's the truth, Hau!"  
  
His breath was shaky, and he was trying desperately to keep himself together. If not for himself, at least for Hau's sake. He didn't dare take his eyes off of Hau's. "I have...I  _want_ to change. I don't wanna run away anymore. I don't wanna leave Alola...or Lillie...or  _you_ ," he admitted. Hau blushed as he felt his heart skip a beat. Those words that he would never stop longing to hear. They always left him defenseless. "I want to stand up for myself. I wanna stay right here. And I won't leave her behind again!"  
  
Hau stared at him silent for a moment. Then, he chuckled darkly as tears of his own slid down his face. Gladion blinked in confusion, wondering if perhaps he was asking too much of Hau to endure. But Hau's dark ebony eyes locked with his again and told him everything he needed to know about how wrong his doubts were. He was smiling a goofy smile, "If only you knew how frustrating this  _really_ is..." The older boy's eyes widened as an old and faint memory came back to him.  
  
Hau nodded, frowning as he gave the blonde a stern look. "Alright. But I'm helping you. Whether you like it or not, we're in this together," he declared. Gladion became frantic again for a moment. "But I can't-" he was interrupted as Hau put a stop to his futile arguments. "Hey. I don't  _need_ protection. I  _need_ to be here for  _you_. Got it?" Gladion smiled and nodded. "Thank you." Hau helped him up onto his feet, keeping a hold on his right hand as they turned to face the teleportation pad.   
  
"Together."  
  
Gladion nodded, "Together..."  
  
One last flash of light signified the departure of the boys, as they stepped onto the pad.

* * *

  
Upon arrival, the corridor was about the same as it was when Gladion had last entered. It was still too long to make much out from the long distance, so they were quick to make their way down. As they crept up on the end where all was visible, they noticed Guzma was standing idly in the hallway with his Golisopod. They would've asked why he was standing around, if Gladion didn't instead take notice of a few  _very_ important things as he finally saw what awaited them at the end of the long corridor.  
  
The computer seemed to be all but gone, and there were no lights like the ones he had seen from the sculptures like before. Just dim regular reddish lights that barely made it possible to see. But see he did. There was a strange wall or something of the sort obstructing a bit of his view now, but not by much. Behind it stood moon, her Tsareena still beside her. In front of the wall was Lillie, who was trying to wake her now unconscious Stoutland. Finally, he saw Lusamine. She was holding a strange container.  
  
It's contents were something he just couldn't make out from this distance. He had to get closer. The boys nodded at each other, rushing forward to reach the end of the corridor. They were instantly noticed by everyone but Lillie who was distracted with her pokémon's state. Moon shot Hau a nasty glare, "Hau, what the fuck are you doing?! It's too dangerous to bring Gladion anywhere  _near_ this psycho!" Gladion glared back at her impatiently, "I talked him into it. I'm not leaving you guys behind."  
  
Lusamine cackled cruelly, "Goodie~! You get to witness the high point of my life's work along with everyone else! Truly, dear boy, this will be a  _much_ more honorable death for you!" Gladion scowled at her, squeezing Hau's hand to suppress his rage. Lillie called back her Stoutland, her mental state was starting to falter. "Let Nebby go!" she demanded. Gladion stepped closer, walking past the wall in his way with Hau following closely to him to see the strange smog-like pokémon that had jumped out of her bag before. It was crying in excruciating pain and terror.  
  
"What is that...?"  
  
"It is the end all, be all to my plans! With this little thing in my grasp, my dream will  _finally_ become a reality~!" Lusamine cackled.  
  
"You can't control the Ultra Beasts, not without Type:Null!" Lillie argued.  
  
"Ohhh, my poor, naive dear. I don't  _need_ that hunk of junk anymore. I will become their queen~!"  
  
Guzma was close enough to listen in on all of this, but he still made sure to conceal himself. He winced, scowling in disgust at this mad woman's ramblings. Gladion was sure of it now. Their mother, the woman known as Lusamine existed no longer. In her place was this  _monster_. This monster that didn't even recognize Lillie or Gladion as her own children. This monster that didn't recognize even herself. She was a completely different person. She was  _lost_. But Lillie seemed to still be naively denying this fact. She darted forward, trying to reach out and grab the container from Lusamine desperately.  
  
"Mother,  _please_! You have to stop!"  
  
Lusamine growled lowly, glaring right into the eyes of her child. There was a time when she would have listened to her daughter. When she would've stopped long before it had come to this. A time where she was sane, a time where she was happy. A time where  _he_ was still here to help her get through all this. But that was all gone now. The woman that was their mother was no more. All that was left was a practically braindead creature who's only purpose, only directive was Ultra Beasts. Her  _precious_ beasts.  
  
"Don't... _TOUCH_ ME YOU LITTLE PARASITE!" she screamed, kicking Lillie so hard she flew back a considerable length near the wall and past the boys. Her nose was now bloodied and crooked. She sat up, tears streaming down her face as she plugged the source of her blood loss. Lusamine grinned a maniacal, disgusting grin that shook everyone to their core as she raised the container in the air and laughed. "Now, Cosmog! Bring my dream to life at long last!" Lillie cried out as she reached helplessly towards the container, "NO!!!"  
  
A bright light that was nearly blinding filled the container and pierced through it's glass walls. Everyone looked on helplessly as a ripple in space and time was torn open, and a creature had slowly emerged. It was one Hau recognized from his last visit to this facility. The jellyfish-like creature chirped in a high, keening pitch. Lusamine dropped the container carelessly, and reached out to the beast. "Yes!  _YES_. Come to me, Nihilego! I've waited so long for your arrival, my beautiful beast!"  
  
Everyone was caught in shocked silence, and frozen with terror. They couldn't hear Nebula's crying anymore. It was silent. They would've looked inside the container to check on it, if their eyes weren't locked on the terrifying creature. It turned to look at Lusamine and cooed quietly. She appeared the happiest that she had ever been in her life. And it was truly sickening to both of her children. This was the nail in the coffin that broke Lillie's conceptions of her mother. She accepted it now just like Gladion already had long ago. They had all expected the Nihilego to bow to her as she wished.  
  
However, the creature's tentacles raised to reveal sharp shards of glowing stones. Lusamine took a step back, her smile faded, and her eyes narrowed in a mix of fear and anger. "Wh-what are you doing?! Don't you  _dare_!" she warned. But she was dismissed, as she was knocked back by the move, opening a gash in her head and leaving several cuts and bruises about her skin as she lay weakly on the floor. Miraculously, she hadn't lost consciousness. The creature turned it's attention to the crying girl staring fearfully at it like a Deerling in headlights.  
  
Slowly, it began to approach her as it floated along. Lusamine looked up and growled in defiance, "Where are you going?! COME  _BACK_ HERE!" Her demands were ignored as the creature just kept inching closer and closer to Lillie, silently. Guzma's panic set in as he abandoned his instinct to hide from Lusamine entirely. He began to dart forward and Gladion and Hau simply stared in shock. It was going to take her. It was going to take her and it wasn't planning on letting anyone stop it. It's attack on Lusamine had proven that. Gladion was frozen in his thoughts.  
  
Suddenly, everything he had ever done up to this point flashed before his eyes. His escape, meeting Hau and falling in love with him, his encounter with Lillie, spending all these hours up to now fearing his mother's wrath. All his life, he had done nothing but run from the things that scared him the most. He had never had the instinct to stand up for himself, to defy those in power, to protect Lillie at any cost, even his own life. And he had always hated this about himself. Even now, he hated it more than he hated Lusamine herself  
  
But now, he walked the fine line between cowardice and bravery. His mind was already set on what it was he had to do. But even so, the decision, the split second decision he had to make was a difficult one. He could see it coming. He wondered, should he run or intervene or let it be? Should he let Moon or Hau handle this? Should he have faith that Guzma would make it in time? No...he wouldn't. Nobody else could help now, it was  _all_ up to  _him_. He knew his mother was beyond saving. But there was still time for  _her_...  
  
Hau's eyes widened, and he reached out only to completely miss when Gladion suddenly darted forward towards Lillie.  
  
"Gladion, wait! It's dangerous!"  
  
Gladion turned back to look at Hau one last time, tears trailing back behind him as he ran. He had a saddened, fearful, and yet determined look on his face. Hau's eyes grew wide at this look...he had seen it before. Every time Gladion was going to pull away...every time he tried to leave...every time he was about to do something really,  _really_  stupid. He noticed Gladion whisper something amidst all the noise. 3 words, barely audible, but Hau caught them. And they nearly broke him into pieces right there.   
  
"I love you..."  
  
He couldn't stop himself from crying, and he froze in disbelief and fear. His hands covered over his mouth as he stared helplessly at the blonde. Without another word, Gladion tore his gaze from Hau and kept on running. Time seemed to stop. Everyone froze, including Guzma as Gladion rushed forward and pushed Lillie out of the way. The Nihilego snatched up the defenseless boy and headed back for it's only door home. Lillie had only mere moments to look up and see what had happened, and she cried out in a desperation neither Hau nor anyone else could.  
  
" _GLADION_!!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Haha it only took another 10 to finally say it but was it worth it?_ >w>  
> I'm sorry I have to hurt you like this kids I swear I love them too ;w;
> 
> Buuuut to soften the blow, another present for y'all~!  
> Official design sheets for Lillie and Gladion out now, link below. Enjoy my little noodles .w.  
> https://www.deviantart.com/artgurusauce/art/Role-Reversal-Lillie-And-Gladion-804819995


	52. Chapter 51 - Won't Be Long

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Gladion's capture, the police raid the Foundation to arrest Lusamine once and for all. However, the children are now left desperate for answers, wondering how to get their friend back. But a certain ally of theirs might just hold the answer they're looking for.

" _GLADION_!!!"  
  
Nobody could reach him. The only time to act that was left had already been stolen up by Gladion. They all watched helplessly, the children crying as Gladion disappeared behind the crack, unable to break free from the Nihilego's strong grip. The last gesture he offered to bid them farewell was a kind and warm smile that everyone could tell was strained heavily. As they entered the wormhole, it quickly sealed itself shut in a flash of light that disoriented everyone since they stared directly at it.  
  
Everyone was silent. Nobody dared speak. Only a few sniffles and sobs were heard amongst the silence that so contrasted the explosive loudness that had just filled the room. Everyone had tried to process what they had just witness. All in their own little heads, contemplating their own  _vastly_ different concerns. They were so stricken with shock, they didn't even notice the remaining pokémon arrive through the teleportation pad and through the corridor, including the wild Lucario, who had come in only in time to witness Gladion's last act of bravery.  
  
Moon was left slightly weak in her knees, stumbling and struggling to keep herself up on her legs. She was trying her hardest to stay composed. This was not how any of this was supposed to go down! How could she have let it get out of control like this? She should've argued harder towards Gladion's safety. That was the only point of coming down here, for Arceus sake! They had come to rescue him, and now he had been chased into some dimension they couldn't even get to. She was displeased, that was all she could think to feel.  
  
Guzma was in complete disbelief at what he had just witness. He didn't know this kid personally other than what he had heard from Lillie, seen just in the past few moments in discovering him in such an injured state. His mind was still running with concerns of Plumeria, and chose to stick on this thought as to not break his own mind with questions. Still, he had no  _idea_ how he was going to explain  _this_ mess to Nanu. Least of all the kid's disappearance into a wormhole.  
  
Hau was taking the worst of everyone. He was still shaking, still crying. His thoughts were rampant of only his partner. Which only made the harmful truth that he was gone hurt all that much more. He began blaming himself. He should've just listened to Moon, he always let Gladion talk him into stupid and dangerous situations, and now it got him taken. Possibly even killed. No...! That couldn't be so! He couldn't bare it if he truly had caused Gladion to die. Especially not after...  
  
_"I love you..."  
  
_Lillie however, was completely stirred in an emotional cloud that swirled. Her brother...had  _saved_ her? After all she had done to him? All she had said to him? And why now? Why now does he grow a backbone and do something for once in his life? Had he truly sacrificed himself just for her? Tears streamed down her face, completely melting her makeup. Lillie stared off in shock and horror, her lip quivering as her mascara and blood stained face continued to contort. She began to cry, breaking down completely.  
  
"NO!!! NO NO NO! NO! No...!  _No_..."  
  
"Holy shit...that kid, he-"  
  
Lusamine growled and slowly pulled herself up against the wall, grabbing onto her numb arm as she glared at the people before her. They did this. They were responsible for this failure. They stole her dream right from under her nose. They cost her her precious beast! "You...you children...all I asked was  _one_ thing and yet you both  _still_ just take everything for yourselves you  _ungrateful_ little brats!" Lillie had no strength to retort to her mother, and simply sobbed as she once again held her broken nose.  
  
Guzma had stopped in his tracks with Gladion's sacrifice, but this motion prompted him to move forward and kneel down beside Lillie. Carefully, he checked her wound. "H-Hey! Sweetheart, are you alright?" he asked, his nerves more than shot from the events that had just transpired. Lillie sniffled and nodded, hugging Guzma tightly for comfort. Guzma's eyes nearly burst from his head when he heard Lusamine's annoying voice emerge again.   
  
"GUZMA! Get rid of them! I need to get another portal open and I can't have any distractions!"  
  
He growled, wrapping his arms around Lillie as he glared at her. His blood was boiling in a way he hadn't felt in a long time. "Screw you, ya crazy bitch! Our deal is off! Find someone else to do yer dirty work for ya!" he declared, angrily. Lusamine began shaking, and was about to retort when suddenly Lillie pulled off of Guzma and stared at him with a look of pure confusion. "...What...? D-Deal...? Guzma were...were you  _working_ with her?!" she asked, disgusted at the mere idea that he was.  
  
Guzma's guilt was stamped clearly on his face, and he tried desperately to calm her, "P-Princess, please! I-It wasn't like that! I wasn't gonna let her do anythin' to ya!"  
  
"YOU WERE HELPING HER THIS WHOLE TIME YOU BASTARD?!" she screeched, pushing him off and rising to her feet to glare down at him.  
  
"Princess, I swear! It was way before you even showed up! I-If I had known before, I-"  
  
"Save it! THIS IS ALL  _YOUR_  FAULT! I-If it weren't for you, she  _never_  would've gotten what she wanted! She  _never_  would've opened that Arceus damn wormhole! And...And Gladion would still be... _Gladion_...h-he saved me and now he's..." she trailed off, sobbing at the thought of her brother's sacrifice.  
  
Guzma stood up as well, struggling not to sink back into the floor out of shame. Hesitantly, he reached out to comfort her, "Princess, I-" Lillie shuffled away from him, " _DON'T_  CALL ME THAT! Don't call me  _princess_ , or  _sweetheart_ , or  _anything_  like that! I want  _nothing_ to do with you! You're  _dead_ to me, you  _monster_!" He flinched at the declaration and took a step back, his hand lowering. Lillie's glare softened as soon as the words left her mouth, but she shook her head. She turned away. She wouldn't allow herself to apologize to scum like him.  
  
Lusamine snickered sadistically, "You're seriously pathetic, Lillie. Still crying when your brother is no where to be found. You haven't changed at all...seems all those little rumors I've been hearing about you were  _wrong_." Finally, Hau stepped forward. Nobody noticed, but at some point, Lucario had recuperated with him. It had an orb formed in it's paws, aimed directly for the president. She stepped back fearfully, reaching behind her for something to defend herself but she found nothing. Hau glared harshly at her, and tears stained his face.  
  
Even for Lillie, the way he was acting was clearly not normal. She flinched back as he began to yell in a rage that made it hard for her to recognize his voice at all. "WHERE IS HE?! Where did that thing take him?!" Moon stepped forward, her eyes trained on Hau worriedly. "H-Hau, wait. She's not a threat to us anymore. Calm down." He didn't look at her as he coldly dismissed her, "Not a threat?! She got Gladion kidnapped by an Ultra Beast! Only  _she_  knows where they went and I have to find out! He's allalone out there! And he's probably scared!"  
  
"Heh...wouldn't surprise me. He's nothing but a sniveling,  _worthless_ coward."  
  
"YOU SHUT UP! Tell me what I wanna know,  _now_!"  
  
"No wonder he fell for you, you're just as stupid as he is! You can't  _touch_ me!"  
  
"You wanna  _bet_ on that? Bring him back or I'll make you regret ever laying a finger on him!"  
  
"He broke so easily...if only you hadn't interrupted me. I would've broke his hand for  _good_ this time."  
  
"Maybe I should break  _your_ hand and see how  _you_ like it...!"  
  
Suddenly, Hau fell to the floor unconscious after feeling a sharp pain in his neck. As he fell, Lusamine saw behind him was Moon's Tsareena with one of it's hands raised up in a chopping motion. Moon sighed with relief, "Thank you, Tsareena." She turned to Lucario, "Stop that. It's pointless to attack her now." She pointed to her Rotom, who turned himself around to reveal his camera had been on the entire time. Lusamine's eyes grew wide again as she scowled with a hateful look at Moon.  
  
"It's like I told you, Lusamine. The jig is up. Rotom here has been recording  _everything_ and broadcasting it to the police."  
  
"You little  _brat_!"  
  
"Save it for the cops, you hopeless harlot..."  
  
Guzma's eyes widened at he stood up, "The cops are comin'?!" Moon glared at him with a nasty look that made him flinch. "Leave...we're done here," she hissed. Guzma gave Lillie one last sorrowful look, hoping she would say something. But she was merely averting her eyes from him in purpose. There was nothing left for him here. He turned and ran back for the teleportation pad, his Golisopod hesitantly following. And nobody attempted to stop him. The girls turned their attention back on Lusamine.  
  
"I would just stay down if I were you," Moon threatened. Lusamine growled, "This  _isn't_ over! I  _will_ have my Ultra Beasts!" Lillie winced at her, glancing at the container that held Nebula. It still wasn't making any sounds. She drew in a sharp and shaky breath, "Cosmog...is  _gone_ , mother. You have nothing to get back there. You killed it in your desperate endeavors!" Lusamine grinned madly and giggled to herself. The girls each raised a brow worriedly at this reaction.  
  
"Ohhh, foolish Lillie~ I still have that flute..."  
  
"Flute...?"  
  
"She's just talking nonsense! Just be quiet already!" Moon snapped.  
  
"You won't hurt me! If you were going to do  _that_ , you wouldn't have committed friendly fire on your little friend there."  
  
"No...but I  _will_ knock you as flat as he is!"  
  
Before any of them could continue, the room was raided by a horde of police officers and their pokémon. They immediately apprehended Lusamine, shuffling Lillie towards a medic and Moon to speak with the head investigator. Lusamine resisted, being slammed on the ground as she continuously screamed nonsense. Eventually, they had her cuffed. Then, right on cue, Nanu entered the room as well and approached Moon. "Good work, kid," he praised. Moon nodded at him, allowing him to look through Rotom's footage.  
  
"It was nothing, sir...just wanted to help."  
  
"Is that boy ok?"  
  
"He's fine. I knocked him out myself. He was acting erratic. Probably just shocked by what's happened..."  
  
"I see..."  
  
"...Can I ask you a favor, sir?"  
  
Nanu raised a brow at her curiously. "What is it?" She looked to the container that held Nebula, already being carefully inspected by members of his force. "Do you mind...if Lillie keeps the body? She'll probably want to bury it...and I don't think she'd want it confiscated just as evidence," she explained. Nanu nodded, before turning to approach Lillie. "Are you alright, kid?" he asked. She sniffled and nodded, having her wound already bandaged and taken care of. She wiped away her tears and blinked at him.  
  
"Listen, you can keep that pokémon if...if you really want."  
  
"N-Nebula?"  
  
"We can get it for you if you-"  
  
"N-No!"  
  
Nanu gave her a shocked and bewildered look for a moment. She forced herself to calm down before continuing. "I...I'll get him," she explained. He escorted her to the container, still watching back the footage for any important details he may have missed. After dismissing the investigating officers, he watched Lillie slowly open up the container. However, rather than breaking down like he had expected, she gave a confused and surprised look. He raised a brow at her and was about to ask what was up, when she turned the container upwards to be vertical.  
  
Slowly, out of the container floated a pin-sized creature. A golden shell was wrapped around it, with a few claw-like holds that came together in what resembled an asterisk. Inside was a tiny black blob that appeared to be sleeping. It had blue and pink lines vertical to each other between it's eyes and on the sides of it's face. It appeared to be surrounded by nebulous starscape that never ended. Lillie was in shock and awe, and hesitantly called the name of her pokémon companion.  
  
"N...Nebula?"  
  
It gave no answer. It just bobbed lightly, floating almost blissfully ignorant to the world around it. They wondered if perhaps it was undergoing a similar phenomenon to that of a Komala. But there was no question of it, this had to be Nebula. The how, however, was a total mystery. Did the stress of her mother forcing it to open a wormhole cause it to evolve? Or perhaps it had reverted to some weaker form to charge. But how long would  _that_ take? It took nearly a month for Nebby to even move without hurting itself in it's  _normal_ state.  
  
It didn't  _appear_ to be dead. But it probably may as well have been. It was unresponsive to anything, even Lillie picking it up in her hands. "Is that  _supposed_ to happen?" Nanu asked. Lillie shook her head, "No, I...I mean...I-I don't know! This is so strange...he  _feels_ warm. But he's not moving..." Nanu sneered quizzically. This whole situation was a complete mess, and he was certain that there would still be things that were left unclear. Such as this pokémon's strange new condition.  
  
The moment was interrupted as Wicke was brought in along with a couple other authorities in the laboratory. As soon as her eyes landed on Lillie, she embraced her tightly. "Oh! Mistress Lillie! You're safe! Thank Arceus..." she gasped. Lillie blinked in confusion. Wicke...was worried about her? Wicke quickly pulled off of her, noticing the tiny pokémon in her hands. "What...is that?" she wondered aloud. Lillie swallowed, "Well...it  _was_ a Cosmog."  
  
"Cosmog?"  
  
"Did...mother not tell you?"  
  
"I...I heard from Sir Guzma about your infiltration. D-Did you find Master Gladion? Is he alright?"  
  
"........He's..."  
  
She sniffled, starting to sob again. Wicke's eyes were wide as tears pricked at them. "No..." she fell to the floor, sitting on her knees as she ran a hand through her hair. Nanu approached her, looking down on her with pity. "Ma'am, I'm going to need you to focus. I believe my colleagues brought you down here to help us clear a few things up," he said, helping her back up to her feet. She nodded, trying to regain her focus, "Y-Yes, I...I understand." She was brought over to the still screeching Lusamine alongside Faba.  
  
"Lusamine...what have you done here?!"  
  
"Get me out of this Wicke! I can't be in a jail cell while my precious beasts are still out there!"  
  
"You've completely lost it! Do you not even see what you're doing has lost it's purpose?!"  
  
An officer stepped between them, "Listen, we're going to need an account of what happened here from both of you."  
  
Wicke nodded in understanding. She turned her head to look at Lusamine, "I...I will testify against this woman. She is guilty of child abuse and endangerment, as well as the misuse and abuse of pokémon. And so is the Branch Chief, who knowingly kept three pokémon alive for personal experiments that the president turned a blind eye to!" Faba growled at her furiously. "You cannot absolve  _yourself_ of blame in this, Wicke! You are just as guilty as I am!" Wicke winced at this.  
  
_"You're no better than her..."  
  
_Those bitter words still echoed in her head. That awful, poisonous truth that she couldn't deny. She too had turned a blind eye to the children's suffering for far too long. Wether out of faith in Lusamine or in fear  _of_ her, she was guilty of that much. She shook her head, "I will not deny that, Faba. Take me down with you if you so wish. I'd rather that than let you and this  _monster_ get away scott-free with all you've done!" The officers immediately put Faba in handcuffs and were about to give Wicke the same treatment when Nanu stepped in again.  
  
"That won't be necessary."  
  
"Nanu, she should be at least taken in for further-"  
  
"I've already looked over all the tapes I needed to see. She aided in the raid so we will leave her be for now. Focus your energy on the more  _dangerous_ suspects, would ya?"  
  
With that, the officers began dragging Lusamine and Faba away, most likely to the nearest station for questioning. Of course, this didn't stop Lusamine from continuing her nonsensical rambling. "This  _isn't_ over! I still have that Moon Flute! I only need the legendary pokémon to open up a  _new_ wormhole for me! I don't  _need_ that damn Cosmog! I WILL HAVE MY BEASTS! DO YOU HEAR ME?!" Her screeching faded down the corridor she was escorted into. Wicke contemplated these words, however.  
  
"The Moon Flute..." she mumbled, quietly. Moon finally approached Lillie to check on her, her Rotomdex beside her still. "Are...you alright?" she asked. Lillie nodded and sniffled, still holding Nebula in her hands. "I-I...I'll recover, physically, at least," she said. Rotom looked over Nebula curiously, blinking at it. "Wha-a-at pokémon is tha-a-at?" She sniffled again, "W-Well...I donno, actually. C-Can you scan it and see if you find anything?" Rotom nodded, scanning Nebula before processing a satisfactory answer.  
  
"Cosmoem, the Pro-o-otostar Pokémon. The king who ruled Alola in times of antiquity called it the 'cocoon of the stars' and built-  Zzt! -an altar to worship it."  
  
"Cosmoem, huh...?" Lillie repeated, looking down at Nebula again. It was still unmoving and unresponsive, but she felt just the tiniest bit more relieved about it. Wicke and Nanu approached the girls as the officers began shuffling out, collecting evidence as their private investigations had already concluded, including the pokémon. However, Hau was still being looked over by medics. "Would you children...like to stay the night? You must be exhausted, and it's much safer now that Lusamine is gone," Wicke offered.  
  
Moon sighed, "Yeah...I don't think I have the strength to go anywhere else right now."  
  
"And...I want to stay as well. I don't think I  _can_ leave after all that's happened here..." Lillie muttered.  
  
Wicke nodded, "I'll...prepare guests rooms for you then-"  
  
"Wait!" Lillie cried.  
  
Wicke blinked at her, "Wh-what's wrong?"  
  
"...I just...is my old room still available?"  
  
"A-Are you sure?"  
  
Lillie nodded, "Mm. I'm sure."  
  
Wicked nodded back at her, "Then, yes, it is. Follow me..." They all shuffled out of the corridor, Nanu and the medics following suit as they carried Hau's unconscious body with them. The remaining pokémon that were still out and about of theirs also followed their masters. It had been a long day, and just about everyone had been exhausted both physically and emotionally. Moon glanced at Hau, and was only able to think about how when he woke, he would be a frantic and panicked mess.  
  
_What a joy **that's** gonna be... _she thought, giving him a look of slight pity before turning around to watch what was in front of her.  


* * *

  
It was a complete and utter mess. One that she hadn't been expecting to come home to. She just needed a couple days to... _think_ for Arceus sake! Just figure out how to explain things to him. She knew she couldn't keep it secret forever. But upon returning home to Po Town, Plumeria found only a sad, pathetic display of her own foolishness. All the children, save for Strelitzia, had been exhausted beyond their wits. Their pokémon were beaten  _senseless_. Every single one of them needed to be tossed into the machine at the Pokémon Center.  
  
Her first concern was treating anyone who happened to be injured. Strelitzia gladly helped her, earning her odd looks from a select few grunts that tended to bully her. And for good reason; she should've been spitting in their faces right now. Should've been mocking them or bragging about how she was the only one unscathed during the attack. But she wasn't. She didn't. And she wouldn't. There was no point in that, she already knew that. And no matter what, they were all family.  
  
They were all joined together by the same man. Trained by the same man. Taken care of by the same man. And in turn, they all got advice and counselling from the same woman as well. What need was there for them to quarrel more than necessary? Or hell, even at  _all_ , she may have argued. But she kept these thoughts to herself. She didn't  _need_ to explain that. It was clear the grunts finally understood this. It took hours to get all the children settled down, but she needed only to speak with Strelitzia.  
  
Upon arrival, she had quickly learned that she was the only one in the mansion where Guzma and the intruders were before they all left. Which meant only  _she_ knew why they had left, who the intruders really were, and what they were even planning. She hoped desperately it wasn't the betrayal she thought it was. She sat Strelitzia down in the throne room at the mansion, interrogating her immediately. Strelitzia didn't mind, though. She understood why Plumeria may have been confused.  
  
"So, start from the top. What happened here?"  
  
"B-Before that...with all due respect Admin, where have you been?"  
  
Plumeria gave a sheepish look. She  _really_ didn't want to do this right now. But still, she had every right to question this. Especially when she had been absent during a crisis. "I...I promise I'll explain that part as soon as I talk to Guzma. But until he gets back, I need you to tell me what happened here," she bargained. Strelitzia considered this answer for a moment. But in the end, she had always trusted Plumeria. After all, she had been her only real mother figure since she arrived here.  
  
"Well...Lillie and I were in the mansion playing some Ekans on our phones. A-And...we had out all our pokémon to let them play."  
  
"Ok...?"  
  
"But then, Lillie's Espeon and Stoutland started acting funny and looking at the door. Then...we started hearing it. The sounds of everybody outside getting totally  _steamrolled_! S-So Lillie told me to go upstairs and get the boss!"  
  
"So you were out of earshot for a bit...were you able to get him, then?"  
  
"Mmhm! As soon as I told him we had intruders he jumped right to his feet! When I got back, that girl that Lillie's been mentioning that keeps beating her was there, and so was this weird boy with green hair in a ponytail. They all looked like they were arguing. O-Oh! And they had a Tsareena and an Alola Raichu I think!"  
  
"I see. So what happened next? Did the boss take care of 'em?"  
  
"I thought he would, be he decided to be nice and give them a chance to explain themselves for some reason. Seemed like he recognized the boy too."  
  
Plumeria leaned in a bit, intrigued now, "What'd he say?"  
  
"They said...they came here to rescue somebody. A boy, apparently Lillie's brother? They kept sayin'... _you_ took 'im."  
  
Plumeria sweat a bit and she couldn't hide her guilt. Strelitzia gave her an apprehensive look. She wasn't sure if she should continue. Plumeria was just beside herself trying to figure out they could've  _possibly_ found out about it in the first place. She was sure of it, that boy was Hala's grandson. However, she knew for a fact that both he and Moon were no where nears the motel when she kidnapped Gladion. And even if they had been, they definitely would've tried to stop her immediately.  
  
There was no reason for them to bide their time if they did see her.  _And even if one of their pokémon saw it, there was no way for them to-_ she froze in her thoughts.  _Wait a minute...that Riolu..._ she began to theorize. It seemed to be a wild pokémon, after all, Gladion seemed shocked at it's arrival in the battle and he didn't even bother trying to call it back into a pokéball. It was an odd encounter, for sure. But even so, how had it relayed the events that transpired to those kids?  
  
And even more peculiar, it seemed to have gotten the perpetrators wrong. Perhaps it didn't understand who she really worked for. After all, she didn't go into that mission dressed in Aether's colors. Just her own. Strelitzia bit her lower lip nervously. She really wanted to ask, but Plumeria seemed eager to get to the point. Still, she had to know. "I-I know ya said you'd explain later...but I just wanna know..." she spoke up. Plumeria stared at her with a daunting expression. Nothing would prepare her for this.  
  
"Is...is what they said true? Did you do somethin' like that?"  
  
"...It's...complicated, Strelitzia."  
  
"B-But if that's true..."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"...Their argument got interrupted when this weird talking contraption started ringin' with a phone call. It looked like a Pokédex but I could almost  _swear_ it looked like Rotom too!"  
  
"Did...they answer it?"  
  
"Yeah yeah! It was some lady who called herself...Professor Burnet? She told 'em she was talkin' to Lillie's brother on a phone call when she got interrupted. She traced a record of the call where a woman said they were takin' Gladion back to his mother."  
  
The color drained from Plumeria's face as she remembered the tablet Gladion had dropped. She also remembered the faint voice of a concerned woman glitching out of it before Slink's Pikachu had roasted it. She should've been more careful. She cursed herself mentally for her mistake once again. All of this was a terrible idea from the get-go. "I promise you, what I did was to protect all of you," Plumeria reassured. Strelitzia nodded. This, above all else, she believed, "I believe you, Admin."  
  
"What happened after that?"  
  
"Everyone got real spooked and Lillie started offered to help them break in. Guess she was worried about her mother havin' her hands on this...'Beast Killer' thing? Then the big bad boss offered to help too! He was worried sick about you, and he was  _sure_ this lady had kidnapped you or somethin' terrible! They agreed to let them come so long as the Skull Gang let them and their friends alone and the boss accepted."  
  
"And that's when they left?"  
  
"Yeah. I couldn't go with them, I knew I probably couldn't handle it. But they all left after that."  
  
Plumeria sighed heavily. This whole thing was a real big mess. And it'd be a lot harder to explain if her big dumb idiot came back successful. Unless... "Stret, how long ago was this? When did they leave?" Strelitzia tapped a finger to her cheek in thought. "Abooouuut, 7 this morning? It was really rainy so the power went out and the clocks weren't working." Plumeria raised a concerned brow at this, "And he's still not back yet...?!" By now, it was almost 8 o' clock at night. Which meant something had gone wrong.  
  
However, just as Strelitzia was about to answer this, the door creaked open. They had expected to maybe see a grunt coming by to ask for something. Perhaps Nanu coming by to ask what all the commotion was about. No doubt he'd find out all too quickly about their town being invaded. However, what came through the door was the last thing either of them had expected. Slumped over, with exhausted eyes, tangled hair and a sullen face was Guzma. And behind him was his quiet and apprehensive Golisopod.  
  
As soon as Guzma saw the girls, he was frozen. He didn't expect to see anyone in here. That was the whole point of even coming in here, frankly. And he had been so overwhelmed with distraught and emotion, even after taking time to himself to let it all out of him privately, he just barely registered that the kids had all been treated. It even took him a few minutes to process that Plumeria was here at all. But once he did, he had a nasty scowl on his face. That was the look Plumeria had been dreading.  
  
"Strelitzia...go on outside and play for a bit. Plumeria and I need to  _talk_..."  
  
She squeaked, quickly shuffling out the door without another word. She had recognized that raspy, rough tone. He was a merciful man with the children. He took care of them, fed them, gave them comfort and advice, anything the kids needed. However, being the drunk and self-pitying man that he was, he had rage-induced outbursts quite regularly. Which meant the kids were careful to always have both a backbone  _and_ a couple of smarts. They knew when not to push certain people's buttons. Including his.  
  
As soon as she was gone, Plumeria knew she was in for something unpleasant. Guzma stepped inside, his Golisopod following behind him and shutting the door to maintain privacy before it sat down in front of it. It appeared deeply worried for it's master, but did nothing to comfort or console him. She wondered if perhaps it had been trying all day and had simply given up. He walked up to his throne, but he didn't sit on it. He took a long and deep breath before he finally asked the obvious question.  
  
"...What the fuck happened, Plum?"  
  
"I-"  
  
"Hold it."  
  
Plumeria shut her mouth immediately. She was sweating bullets and biting down hard on her lower lip. "I just...I don't want any bullshit here. I was at Aether Paradise for 2 fuckin' hours...and I've seen a  _looooot_ of shit. So I'd really  _appreciate_ it, if ya just fuckin' told me the truth." She swallowed hard. She knew that it was a very low chance he didn't know what she had done with that in mind. So, she took his advice for once. However, that didn't make the truth any less difficult to discuss.  
  
"...Lusamine called me a couple a' days ago. She was sick n' tired of your ghostin', so she took matters into her own hands. She somehow got her hands on a couple of our grunts and she must've shaken 'em down cause she figured out where those boys were hidin' out."  
  
"So  _that's_ how she knew where to find 'im... _shit_!"  
  
"She told me she wanted me to go down there and get 'im, and bring both him,  _and_ his Type:Null back to 'er."  
  
"And you just fuckin' did it?"  
  
"Well, my alternative was her burning down Po Town and having us jailed while all the kids are taken back to their parents."  
  
His eyes widened, but she didn't see. She waited anxiously for his response. Hoping that would be enough to sway him. He ran a hand through his hair as he started to get overwhelmed with rage and regret again. Suddenly, he punched his throne with such force it created a hole in the sofa. Both Plumeria and Golisopod both were startled by this. He had beaten up the chair before, but usually it was when he was by himself or drunk. She wondered if it was out of anger towards her or Lusamine.  
  
"Dammit...! That Arceus damn  _bitch_...!" he hissed. He was silent again for a few minutes. Finally, he pulled his hand out of the hole he had made and slumped into the chair. He put his face in his hands, rubbing at it as he sighed heavily again. He hesitantly looked up, running a hand through his hair again. She had no idea what he had been through all day, but it couldn't have been good news. "Did ya hurt 'im, Plum...?" he muttered, his voice becoming a bit shaky. Her eyes widened in shock.  
  
"Wh...what?!"  
  
"Did you  _hurt_ him, Plum?!"  
  
"Of course not! I...he wouldn't come with me without a fight, s-so I had to put down his pokémon. And...I  _was_ going to knock him out at some point, but I never-"  
  
"What do you mean 'Knock him out', Plum?"  
  
"I was just gonna have Salazzle Sludge Bomb 'im! No harm done, he'd just be passed out and feelin' woozy for a bit!"  
  
"Xerneas, Plumeria, he's a fuckin' kid!"  
  
"He wouldn't back down, and with Lusamine on my back what  _else_ would you have me do?!"  
  
He slammed his fist against the armrest in frustration as he yelled, "I DON'T KNOW!!!" She was silent again. At some point, she had stood back up on her feet to defend herself from his accusations. Her glare faltered, as did her disgust with his assumptions. The lingering and awful question that she had been pushing back finally came out of her as Guzma rubbed at his temples and repeated in a slight sob, "I don't know..." She didn't know if now was the right time to ask. But it was now or never.  
  
"...Guzma."  
  
He looked up at her with a brow raised. His Golisopod chittered nervously behind her. All was silent once again. Then, she  _very_ hesitantly bit, "...Where's princess? Strelitzia said she went with ya to find the kid." The question that he was sure at the very least Strelitzia would ask. The question that he knew would come to him at some point. The question he had taken all these hours to prepare himself for. And yet, as soon as it left her lips, it had completely and utterly broken him.  
  
Golisopod recoiled and cringed. Even it was hurt by the question. The reactions were something that had Plumeria worried almost instantly. "Guzma...where is she?  _Please_ tell me that she's ok!" she begged. His eyes darkened as it began to sink in. He reached into a cooler beside him to pull out a beer bottle and open it. She was about to yell at him, tell him to stop being a jack ass and to put down the damn bottle for once. But to her surprise, he answered her before taking a swig.  
  
"She's  _fine_. She's decided she don't want nothin' to do with us anymore..."  
  
Plumeria stumbled back onto the window sill to sit down. She ran a hand along the top of her head as she processed this. She didn't need to ask questions beyond this. It was obvious why. She knew. She knew now, and she  _hated_ them for it. She'd probably never want to see their faces again. This is what they had both expected. However, what made it hurt so much, was that it was not what they had  _hoped_. Foolish hope had lead them on a pretty path of lies that ended up stabbing them in their backs.  
  
And it was  _horrible_. Plumeria had no other words left. All she could think to do was say the only thing she hadn't said yet. The only thing that Guzma still needed to hear. She stood up, heading for the door as he began to drink himself to presumably death. Golisopod moved out of the way, staring at her sadly. She put her hand on the doorknob, before turning her head to look at Guzma one last time. She didn't know what else to say at this point, other than...  
  
"I'm sorry, Guzma. I wish I could take it all back..."  
  
"...Join the fuckin' club, Plum..."  
  
She turned away, exiting the room and closing the door behind her swiftly, just before she broke down in tears and silently sobbed to herself.  


* * *

  
_"Hello? Hellooo? Is anybody here?"_  
  
_It was like some kind of personally designed Hell that I had lived before. I was wandering aimlessly in a sea of yellow flowers. There was no person, not even civilization for miles. The only thing here was the flowers, the blue sky, and the sun beading down. Oddly, I felt no heat from it despite the sky lacking any clouds and the air lacking any chill. There wasn't even a wind. At least, not yet anyways. All I knew is that I wanted, **needed** to get out of here._  
  
_My memories were skewered. Why couldn't I remember anything before I was here? This had to be a dream, I was sure of it. Why else would I be here? Why else would I not feel any heat? And...the more I looked at these flowers...they were almost identical to the ones in Melemele Meadow. But...why? Was there something important about them? What message was my brain even trying to send me right now, if this was indeed a dream like I was certain._  
  
_"Hau...?!"_  
  
_I froze in my tracks. I had been walking in a straight line since I became aware that I was even here. I wouldn't call it waking up. More like...just starting to exist. I don't know how to describe it, exactly. All I knew is 2 thing definitively upon hearing this voice. It was impossible, but somehow they were behind me. Which meant this most certainly had to be a dream. People couldn't possible sneak up on me in an endless flower field such as this. And number 2...I know that voice._  
  
_I spun around, and the first bout of wind I had felt since I opened my eyes passed through my hair and ruffled my clothes. He was standing right there...my boyfriend, my beloved. Tear pricked at my eyes, and I felt overwhelmed with joy just to see him. Why...? Was it because I had been alone for what felt like ages in this place? I didn't matter. I rushed towards him and wrapped my arms around him as tight as I could. I felt like if I didn't...I'd lose him. Something didn't feel right about not having him in my arms._  
  
_He wrapped his arms around me to pull me closer. I could feel him shakily breathing into my hair. Was he relieved to see me too? Was he wandering by himself too? He had to be scared if that was the case. I would be here for him no matter what. I had to. "I-I can't believe you're here..." I breathed. He smiled down at me, but I could tell his eyes were glazed over. He grabbed one of my hands and kissed it gently. "Hau, I've missed you so much." Missed me? How long had I been apart from him?_  
  
_I could only stare at him worriedly. He sighed and his smile faded. I reached my hand up, brushing his bangs out of his face and resting my hand on his cheek. He blushed, and stared at me with inflamed eyes. That look...it always made my heart skip a beat. Never stop looking at me with those eyes. "Everything is going to be ok now, Gladion. E aho, remember?" I gave him a smile, and he returned it in kind. "You're so beautiful..." he whispered. The compliment made me involuntarily blush._  
  
_He leaned in close to my face and I quickly relaxed as I anticipated his kiss. Just before our lips connected however, he whispered something else to me that made my mind snap. "I love you..." As soon as I heard those 3 words, everything came rushing back to me. Finding Riolu outside the motel room, breaking into Po Town, going to Aether Paradise, his capture, his rescue, reuniting with him, and...The kiss had become something bitter now as the horrible truth entered my head._  
  
_I struggled beneath his touch and pushed him away to break our kiss. He was left confused and disoriented. I tried my best to meet his eyes, "W-Wait, stop. This is...this isn't right. You...you were **taken**!" Rather than shock, his face drained away into sorrow. I didn't know what to make of it at all. I was just trying to keep myself composed. This was definitely a dream. There was no doubt about it now. He reached out one of his hands to touch my face, and I grabbed onto his wrist to hold it there._  
  
_"...I'm sorry, Hau." Just like his confession, these words had broken something in me. I shut my eyes tightly as tears came to them and I shook my head. I didn't want to hear this! "Why?! Why are you saying that?!" I screamed. "Hau, look at me." I didn't want to. But I also didn't want him to go away. Even if he wasn't real, I...I wanted him to stay. I hesitantly opened my eyes to look at him. But all that awaited me when I did was utter horror. The flowers around us had died and turned an ugly dark purple color._  
  
_The sky was nearly black with storm clouds that hid the sun completely. But worst of all was the sight right in front of me. Gladion was in the horrid grip of that **thing**...that monster known only as an Ultra Beast. Despite it's tentacles having a firm hold on him, his hand still managed to reach out to me. I couldn't stop my tears from falling anymore. I grabbed his hand to keep him close to me. I wouldn't let him be taken again! But his voice emerged from the thunder that began roaring across the skies._  
  
_"Please...forgive me."_  
  
_"Gladion, don't go!"_  
  
_"I can't stay...I c-can't..."_  
  
_"Gladion...?!"_  
  
_He brought his free hand up to grip at his head. It was almost as if he had a blaring migraine all of the sudden. He closed his eyes tightly as he moaned in pain. I didn't know what to do. I just wanted to make sure he didn't escape my grasp a second time. Suddenly, he started screaming. And his eyes opened again. But this time...there was something wrong with them. There was no iris, no pupil...only pure whiteness. I didn't have time to ask what had even happened...before it all went dark._  


* * *

  
Hau awoke in a cold sweat, gasping awake as he sat up. He breathed heavily, completely panicked by the dream he just had. Strangely, it almost felt too real to dismiss. But he had had dreams like this before. The unpleasant ending was merely a side effect of the trauma he had just suffered. He sighed heavily, putting a hand on his face and pulling it back to find he had been crying in his sleep. He was quickly distracted from this however, as suddenly his pokémon bounded onto him.  
  
At least, the ones that couldn't crush him under their weight, that is. The rest were consigned to nuzzling him from the side of the bed he was laid down in. Raichu, Leafeon, and Crabrawler were all chittering over each other worriedly. Tears pricked at his eyes as he chuckled, giving them all pets to calm them down. "Shhh, it's ok! I-I'm alright now, I promise." He reassurance quickly settled the pokémon, allowing him to finally observe where exactly he was. His memories were still fresh in his mind, however.  
  
Upon looking around the room, he noticed a few oddities very quickly. The first being that this was certainly not a guest room of the mansion. It was too personalized in it's items and furniture. And secondly, it had a lot of photo frames scattered from the walls to end tables. He slowly got up from the bed, looking around curiously to inspect the surrounding area. His pokémon simply watched, having already sniffed the place from top to bottom. They could only wait and watch on worriedly.  
  
There were a few stuffed dolls, a couple of poorly made arts and crafts objects signed in an incomprehensible signature, and he could see a box poking out from under the bed when he circled back to it. He pulled it out, placing it on the bed and opening it to inspect it. At first glance, the objects inside seemed random and meaningless. However, he quickly found a pattern. A few photos, written letters, and small trinkets all seemingly attributed to a man named "Mohn" as was written in the letters.  
  
At the bottom, Hau found a particular picture of a tan and bulky man. He had blonde hair and green eyes, and his messy hair reminded him of Gladion instantly. He looked happy as a small toddler on the floor stood upright on his feet. Even at the young age, Hau could recognize who the child was. At the bottom of the picture written in the same handwriting as the letters were the words "Gladion's First Steps". He didn't have to see much more to figure out who's room he had been placed in.  
  
He began reading the letters more carefully, noticing that each one was actually just a special birthday card after the third one. Every letter was so heart felt and yet heart wrenching all at once. And the implication of it just...sitting, collecting dust in this box under Gladion's bed was getting to Hau quickly. Especially as he read between the lines of written memorabilia that detailed the days that Gladion lived a normal, happier life. It was truly a sick twist of fate that in losing his father, he lost his mother as well.  
  
He quickly put them away and back where he found them, opting instead to figure out why he had suddenly fallen unconscious in the midst of his confrontation with Lusamine. All he could remember was his rage. The things that he had said to her. Despite how much he absolutely hated her, he had to admit, he was beginning to regret spewing such vitriol. That made him no better than she, after all. Whatever would the older boy think of him if he were around to see him act so vulgarly?  
  
Suddenly, the door swung open and Moon poked her head inside. She was surprised to see Hau awake, quickly rushing inside and throwing her arms around him. He wasn't expecting the reaction, but he didn't push her away either. She pulled off of him, clearing her throat and composing herself. "I...I'm sorry I had Tsareena knock you out. But you were acting a little crazy and I just-" Hau interrupted her, holding up a hand to signal her to stop talking.  
  
"You don't need to explain yourself, Moon. I would've done the same thing..."  
  
"Are you...calmed down now?"  
  
"...I don't know about calm. I'm just... _tired_."  
  
Moon couldn't help but snicker, "Well you sure did get quite a good rest."  
  
Hau raised a brow at her in confusion. "Huh? What're you talking about?" Moon blinked at him, then smiled nervously. "We um... _may_ have stayed the night at Aether Paradise. Last night was...everyone was too tired to go home. And, you were unconscious soooo..." she trailed off. Hau's eyes nearly burst out of his skull. "Wh-what?! I've been out for  _that_ long?!" he yelped. Moon scratched the back of her head nervously. She knew this was going to be troublesome.  
  
"I didn't expect it to be that long. Sorry about that."  
  
To her surprise, he quickly calmed. Instead, adopting a worried expression again. "...What happened to Lusamine?" he asked. Moon frowned. "She's been arrested, and so has Faba. Lillie's still here too, but...Guzma's gone," she explained. Hau's eyes darkened as the bitter name came to his mind. "And...what about Professor Wicke?" Moon knew the disdain in that tone. She knew she couldn't lie to him, but she wasn't sure the truth would be the best thing to tell him right now.  
  
Then, as if on cue, the door creaked again as someone else entered. Much to Moon's unease, it was Wicke. Immediately, Hau scowled harshly at her, and she flinched under his gaze. She let out a slight whimper, the memory of their last encounter still being a fresh wound in her mind. " _YOU_!" Hau hissed. Moon made sure to put herself between them instantly, pushing him back gently. Wicke held up her hands, frantically trying to explain herself, "P-Please! I mean no harm!"  
  
But it was to no avail. "I don't care! Get out!" he screeched. She was the last person he wanted to see right now. Moon was desperate to not have to put him out again. She had to get him to relax. "Hau, calm down! We should at least hear her out!" Hau turned his glare at Moon instead, "I don't need to listen to her! I don't trust her!" Before Moon could even formulate a logical argument to this, Wicke interjected again. "A-And you have every right!" she exclaimed, surprising them both.  
  
She stared down at her feet with glazed, glimmering eyes as she tried to keep herself together. She didn't want to break down again. "But...at least take this," she said, taking out a strange looking blue flute with an odd crest that much resembled a crescent moon on it. Hau raised a brow at the offer. "A...flute...?" he wondered aloud. Moon's eyes grew wide as she remembered Lusamine's bitter farewell attempt yesterday. "Didn't Lusamine say something about a flute?" she asked.  
  
Wicke nodded, "This...this flute is said to be able to summon a legendary pokémon. Of course, you also need another flute just like it. This is the Moon Flute." Moon gently took it from her, examining it carefully. It felt as though it fit perfectly in her hands. After a few minutes, she handed it back to Wicke. "And what about the  _other_ one?" she asked. Wicke thought for a moment, "The Sun Flute is located somewhere on Poni Island. Or at least...that's where it was last sighted, historically. The Kahuna would know where to find it."  
  
"How does this help us, exactly?" Hau snapped. Wicke swallowed hard. "This legendary pokémon...it's capable of transporting itself and others into Ultra Space," she finally finished. Both children were left beside themselves with shock. Moon was the first to ask the obvious. "You mean...we could rescue Gladion?!" she gasped. Wicke nodded. "Exactly." She turned to head to look at Hau, her eyes still holding much sorrow and guilt. Moon was praying she didn't say something stupid again.  
  
"You were right."  
  
Both kids seemed caught off-guard by the statement. Hau was shocked. It seemed one event after the other just came at him the past few days to throw him off-balance. He was amazed he was still even standing right now. Wicke took a deep breath. Now was her only chance to convince Hau to trust her. She had spent the past 10 hours sulking and unable to sleep. Once she had been told of the exact events, she refused to sit still until she had finally located that damn flute. She had to make this count.  
  
"I just stood back and watched Lusamine  _torture_ those poor children. I can justify it all I like...but it doesn't change that I'm responsible for so much of the pain they've suffered. I don't deserve forgiveness. But, at the very least, I can try to help them find a better future with the new families they've found."  
  
She held out the flute to him, and Moon stepped aside. Then, she put the final nail in the coffin. "Please...don't do this for me. Do it for  _him_." Hau couldn't help but flinch at this. Despite having his suspicions, even  _he_ knew this was worth a try. After all, he couldn't simply give up hope and abandon Gladion. Not now. Not when he needed him most. Wicke continued, "Go rescue him, and bring him home. You're...a good guardian for him." He stared at her for a few long and agonizing moments.  
  
Then, he took the flute from her and stared down at it. Moon and Wicke both were silent with anxiety as they waited for him to speak again. But instead, he simply nodded. "I  _will_ bring him back," he stated. Wicked nodded back at him, bowing her head respectfully as thanks. "Thank you. I'll...I'll leave you to it then. Be careful." She turned, leaving the room and closing the door quietly behind her. Moon turned to look at Hau again, and he gave her a determined look. She couldn't help but smile.  
  
"Grab Lillie. We're going to Poni Island."  
  
"You got it, chief~"  


* * *

  
Moon knocked on the door cautiously. She wasn't sure  _what_ to expect. Well, ok, she was expecting to be hissed at or told to "Piss off" or something vulgar like that. But instead, the gentle yet familiar voice of her rival called out, "C...Come in!" Moon sneered curiously. Well  _that_ was surprising. She wasn't even going to ask who it was first? Moon didn't waste her time pondering as she turned the door knob to enter the room. And what she found was something she  _really_ didn't expect.  
  
It was dainty and prissy, the mark of a typical rich girl's room. There was elegant white furniture all around, including a luxurious looking bed, a pink futon, and an expensive looking vanity. She could see a Clefairy doll sat upon Lillie's dresser as she stepped inside, alongside a pink backpack with a cute white ribbon that tied it shut. She looked around, not finding Lillie anywhere in the room. That's when she noticed an open doorway to what appeared to be a walk-in closet. And out stepped Lillie.  
  
She had wiped off all the unsightly makeup, and had her hair tied in a messy bun. All of her goth attire was gone, instead replaced by a cute sailor-like outfit completely with a mini-skirt. It was like she was a completely different person. Granted, there was still a stray strand of blue in her hair, and the piercing in her ear that were both irreversible additions to her look. She seemed startled to see that Moon was the one who had come to visit her and she gasped lightly in surprise.  
  
"O-Oh! It's... _you_ ," she said, pouting as she crossed her arms and her face flushed. She scowled, and all Moon could think was how Lillie had invited her without even inquiring her identity first. "W-Wow uh...you look-" Lillie snapped and interrupted her, "Choose your next words carefully,  _wench_." Moon sneered at her, unamused by her attitude. She rolled her eyes, "Fine, you aren't even  _worth_ rating." Lillie's flushed pout only got worse as her face turned red with rage. She seethed, making a high-pitched keening noise of anger.  
  
"MMMM!"  
  
"Calm down, 'Princess'. I'm here to get you ready to go to Poni Island."  
  
" _First_ of all, don't you  _dare_ call me 'Princess', and second-"  
  
"Yeah yeah yeah, whatever, you comin' or what?"  
  
"I was getting to that!"  
  
She huffed, composing herself before continuing, "Why do I need to come to Poni Island?" Moon held up the flute that Wicke had given her and Hau with a smug smirk. "We've found a potential means to rescue your brother. We need to go to Poni Island to talk to the Kahuna about where the  _other_ flute is. If we play them both, it'll summon a pokémon that can take us to Ultra Space," she explained. Lillie's eyes widened in disbelief. "Holy shit, are you  _serious_?!" she gasped.  
  
Moon nodded, "Mmmhmm~ And we're gonna need  _your_ help for this one. Unless of course, you still don't  _care_ about your brother-"  
  
"No! I-"  
  
"Hmmm~?"  
  
Lillie sighed, "I...I want to save him too. I'm in."  
  
"Good! Pack your dufflebag. We leave ASAP."  
  
Before Lillie could retort, Moon was already back out the door. Lillie was still pouting and fuming with irritation, but it quickly faded. She took a deep breath, going over to her dresser and hugging her Clefairy doll to her chest. An old memory began to play back in her mind of days where her and her brother lived normal, happier lives. Days where they played together and stuck together no matter what. She sighed sorrowfully in her doll. She wouldn't admit it, but a part of her longed to have those days back.  
  
To have  _Gladion_ back...  


* * *

  
Upon docking in the humble village where it seemed only seafolk resided. It's name was all too appropriate, having been named Seafolk Village on the map. It was a large docking area that lead onto the actual island. Poni was the smallest of the islands, so naturally, the population was low. At each docking area sat an intricately designed boat that resembled different sorts of pokémon. Most commonly however and predictably, was Water types. The children deboarded the Aether ferry they had taken a ride on.  
  
It was definitely a pretty sight. Moon was even able to spot a Pokémon Center not too far away. Only a few people were out and about at this hour, and a couple of pokémon as well. Lillie and Hau looked around curiously as Moon took another look at the map to find this island's ruins. They didn't have much leads to go on, but at the very least, they'd find the island's Tapu there. And that Tapu would most certainly guide them to the Kahuna. It didn't take her long to locate it either, her eyes landing on their destination on the map.  
  
She was about to detail their next route when she looked up, but stopped when she noticed a strange child on a Mudsdale approaching them. She had tanner skin, and black braided hair in twin tails. Wrapped around her face was a purple bonnet. She had the overall look of a farmhand, with a brownish onesie khaki suit that had a satchel hanging off one of the belt holds at her waist. On the knees were triangular patches of purple that matched her bonnet, and her rubbery boots were black. She even had on gray rubbery gloves.   
  
She looked down at the kids with grayish purple eyes, blinking at Hau with intrigue.   
  
"Well I'll be, Hau, is that you?"   
  
Hau instantly recognized and approached her eagerly. "H-Hapu! What're you doing here?" he asked. Hapu blinked at him in bewilderment. "Well, I live here, partner. This here's my home. I just came down to Seafolk Village to find my ol' friend Mina," she explained. "I should be askin'  _you_ that question." Hau gave a sad look as he looked down. "It's...a long story," he sighed. Hapu frowned at him. She had remembered meeting him briefly on Route 12 on the bustling island of Ula'Ula.  
  
Despite seeming distracted by some inner turmoil, he was still a peppy kid. The way he was acting now, she could tell something mighty awful had happened to him. She looked over to the other kids curiously, and the girls approached her to get a better listen to her. "And who might these fine lasses be?" Lillie put a hand on her chest to gesture to herself, "My name is...Lillie. And this is Moon. We're here to speak with the Kahuna, it's very important." Hapu gave them a strange look as she raised a brow at them.  
  
"The  _Kahuna_? We ain't  _got_ no Kahuna on Poni."  
  
All 3 children were stricken with shock as their jaws dropped to the floor. Once again, they had hit a complete dead-end. Hau was already starting to panic, while Moon just tried to formulate a  _new_ plan to work around this blaring complication that had come up. Lillie was stunned just enough to formulate a proper response. "What?!" she cried. Hapu could tell by their reaction that it was most certainly something dire. If that were the case,  _someone_ had to help them. But she wondered if she even could.  
  
"...Now what do we do, Moon...?"  
  
"I don't know, ok?! I just...I need a minute!"  
  
"No no no no no no no...!"  
  
Hapu was starting to tire of their vague panic and bit down on her fingers to whistle at them and gain their attention back. And it worked perfectly as they all snapped out of it and looked up at her. Hau had even began to tear up, and it seemed the color was completely gone from their faces. "Just what in san-hill is this all about anyways?! Why are y'all actin' up like Torchics in a coop fulla Lycanrocs?" she snapped. Moon sighed, pulling out the Moon Flute to show Hapu, "We're looking for another flute, like this one?"  
  
"The Moon Flute?"   
  
"We're looking to summon the legendary pokémon that can transport us to another world. My brother...my brother was taken far from here into some dimension we can't reach on our own! It's a world where only beasts reside..."  
  
"A world where only beasts reside, eh? I reckon that must be the kind of world you find at the end of those holes that open up in the sky, just like my grand-pappy used to describe."  
  
"Y-Yes. Ultra Wormholes."  
  
"...Alright, I'll tell you what I know. I don't know nuthin' about the pokémon itself. All I know is that if you take that there flute and play it alongside the Sun Flute at the Altar you'll see on that map, you'll summon it. That there flute you've got...I last heard that it was kept at the lake on Ula'Ula. The Sun Flute is kept in a safe place on Exeggutor Island not far off from here."  
  
"Hmmm, Exeggutor Island, you say?"  
  
Moon looked on the map for it, pointing to it as she called out to her comrades. "Here it is! Just off the coast!" she confirmed. Hapu nodded and gave them a friendly smile. "My friend Mina can help arrange a boat for y'all. She usually hangs out not too far off from here. C'mon, follow me," she beckoned, turning her Mudsdale towards a certain boat that appeared to double as a restaurant. Moon put the flute away, and Hau wiped away his tears as he finally calm down. Once they were about to enter, a lanky woman exited.  
  
Her hair hung down low off her face, and she had a drowsy look about her tired, gray eyes. Her blonde hair was splattered with pink paint that also littered across her long face. She had on a baggy, paint-stained shirt that hung low over her tight jean pants that had holes in them. Most notably of all was her dull blue sneakers, which look worn and torn to absolute hell. Wrapped around her to hang from her back was a dufflebag that had various art-related items poking out of it. She instantly recognized Hapu.  
  
"Ahhh, Hapu. What brings  _you_ all this way today~?"  
  
The tone she spoke with, as well as her general appearance reminded Hau heavily of his mother. She also seemed to be relaxed to the same degree. Hapu gestured to the children as she turned in her seat on the Mudsdale's saddle so that her legs hung off the side. "Mina, I'm gonna need you prepare these fine folk a boat over to Exeggutor Island ASAP," Hapu said. Mina turned to look at the kids, and seemed to observe them with utmost care. Almost as if she was trying to read their minds.  
  
"Woooaaahhh, their chakras are all whacked up, Hapu. Is everything ok?"  
  
"It's a  _bit_ of an emergency, Mina."  
  
"Alright then, I'll go talk to the chief~ He should have no problem with taking these kids out there~"  
  
With that, the woman turned away and waltzed right back inside the restaurant. The children all began talking amongst themselves as they waited. "Alright, I'm going to leave you two to go retrieve the flute," she instructed. Hau raised a brow at her, "What're  _you_ gonna do?" Moon turned away from them, looking over the map again. "I'm gonna scout out the area. Clear a path for us to that Altar Hapu mentioned. We'll meet up there later, when you guys have secured the Sun Flute."  
  
Lillie nodded, "Right. We'll meet up with you later then." Moon nodded back, turning and heading off for the island's shore. It didn't take long for Mina to return with a scruffy and heavy looking man and his Pelipper. Hau and Lillie exchanged looks, before nodding at each other. They quickly followed him to his boat, bidding Mina and Hapu both farewell as they boarded. Neither of them exchanged words on the long trip over. Their thoughts were far too clouded to make any conversation.  


* * *

  
Upon arrival, it was evident that something was funky about the Exeggutor here. They were palm tree-like in their appearance, with long and tall necks. However, that wasn't the strangest thing about them. They were all dancing around uncomfortably, almost as if in pain. Hau and Lillie both were confused as they approached them, careful not to get too close. They didn't want to get distracted, but they also knew they probably couldn't ignore their odd behavior, either.  
  
Hau was the braver of the two, circling around to get a better look at what may have been bothering the creature. And his eyes landed on a vicious looking bug pokémon that was latched onto the back of the Exeggutor's neck. It seemed to be chewing into it's trunk, almost hungrily. Hau's eyes widened, and he glared at it. "Hey, get off of there!" he demanded. The creature turned it's head around and hissed at him with a nasty glare. Hau immediately called out his Incineroar, pointing towards the bug pokémon.  
  
"Incineroar, get it off with your Flamethrower!"  
  
The creature hissed in distress as Incineroar's flames burned it. The attack worked like a charm, and the bug pokémon fled quickly, knowing not to pick a fight it couldn't possibly win. As soon as it let loose on the Exeggutor, the Exeggutor calmed and breathed out in relief. It's motions stilled as it seemed to finally relax. Hau smiled, and Lillie looked on at the other Exeggutor curiously. She pointed to them, turning her head to look at Hau, "Hau, look. They all have Pinsir on them."  
  
"Let's get them all off then. You've got your pokémon, right?"  
  
"Mm. Let's help them. They look so uncomfortable."  
  
They quickly got to work, Hau burning away Pinsirs with his Incineroar and Lillie blasting them away with her Espeon's Psybeam. It didn't take them long to dispel them all. Every Exeggutor was relaxed now, and seemed to be resting off their mild injuries. The kids couldn't help but smile at the good they'd done. "They look much more peaceful now..." Lillie said, calling back her Espeon. Hau nodded, calling back his own pokémon swiftly. Suddenly, rain clouds began to roll in, but they unfortunately didn't notice.  
  
It didn't take long however, as they felt little drips of water come down on them. They quickly put together what was happening as it began to full-on rain down on them. They scurried into a small cave-like formation, trying to shield themselves from the wet, but to no avail. She quickly began to dry her bag with her hands. "Ugh! I think my bag got wet. I hope Nebula isn't uncomfortable in there..." she muttered in a slight pout. Hau became intrigued again at the mention of the pokémon that had popped out of her bag before.  
  
He had gotten a brief look at it after hearing the recount of all that had been discovered after he was knocked out. He could hardly even believe it was the same pokémon, honestly. "About  that pokémon in your bag...you said you stole it," he reminded her. Lillie sighed and nodded, "Yeah. I did. Gladion took the Type:Nulls and...I took mother's Cosmog. Guess we didn't pick very well, huh?" She gave him a saddened smile as she looked up at him again. Hau chuckled at the irony of it.  
  
"No, I guess not. But he  _has_ been learning to get used to battling," Hau reminded her yet again. Her expression became apprehensive as she frowned sheepishly. She avoided eye contact for a moment, before she finally spoke her mind, a blaring question she had had for so many hours now. "...You've been taking care of him, right? I saw you two... _kissing_ , before. Hau blushed at this. She continued, frantically, "I-I know it's none of my business but-"  
  
"Yeah. We're um...d-dating," Hau admitted, bluntly. Lillie blinked at him, not necessarily out of shock or even surprise. Just simple curiosity. "Oh," she said, unable to think of a proper response to this. Hau sighed, "In fact, just before he saved you... he told me loved me." Lillie's eyes widened. Now she really  _was_ shocked. She would admit, she couldn't hear much with all the noise at the time. But then again, she didn't even see him coming either, much less hear him say anything.  
  
" _Gladion_  said that?" she asked. Hau nodded, and she gave him a pitiful look. "Oh my Arceus..." she breathed. Hau sneered slightly as he slumped against the wall. "Of course, it wasn't  _always_ that way between us. It took a long time just to get him to open up to me or even consider me his  _friend_ ," Hau admitted. Lillie wasn't surprised by this, given all he had suffered before he ran away. "Guess what his mom did to you guys shook him up so much he didn't wanna drag me down with him."  
  
"...Yeah..." Lillie muttered, half-heartedly. Hau blushed again, staring down at his hands as his eyes glazed over. "I've never felt like this before...it's the first time he said he loved me," he admitted. He didn't wait for her to respond as he continued, "I-I've said it before too, but, it was when he was sleeping. And...now that he said it, I...I know I  _should_ be happy but..." He trailed off on his words. He didn't know how to describe the anguish he had felt since Gladion was ripped away from him.  
  
The dream had had woken up from that morning did nothing to ease his anxieties, either. Lillie peered at him sorrowfully, feeling quite guilty for the way she had treated him and her brother the last time they all met. In her blind anger and thirst for vengeance, she was attacking the same boy Hau loved. Even when the damage had already been done. What was  _wrong_ with her? "I know what you mean. That sounds just awful. But you said you feel that way too, right?" she prodded.  
  
"Of course I do! We're really young...so there's a lot ahead of us. But I'm sure of it now. I love him. A-And I'm gonna tell him that when we find him. I'll tell him everyday so he'll never forget it, even if we're apart! I  _have_ to..."  
  
"...You're a good boyfriend, Hau. You know that? I hope you and Gladion are really happy together someday. You'd make an adorable married couple, you know!" she giggled, putting a hand over her mouth to stifle it. Hau's face turned bright red as he began to panic. " _M-Marriage_ is a little soon!" he exclaimed. "I said  _someday_ , silly! Geez~" she teased, still struggling to keep her giggling fit under control. He pouted at her indignantly. "J-Jerk..." he grumbled. This only made her burst out into full-on laughter.  
  
The moment quickly faded as her laughter calmed after a few minutes. Then, Hau had recalled something from earlier yet again. Hesitantly, he turned his head to look at her, "...H-Hey. I've been meaning to talk to you about something." Lillie looked at him curiously, "What is it?" Hau swallowed hard and bit his lower lip anxiously. He didn't want to provoke her, but his curiosity often got the better of him. Besides, he was sure he could help her. "...That Guzma guy," he hesitantly began.  
  
She scowled at the name she now despised, "What  _about_ him?" Hau blinked, sighing internally as he tried to articulate himself properly. She was still angry, but she was also calm enough to consider discussion. "You've said before that you'd never forget anything he taught you. That he was more of a family to you than anyone. I know you're mad but, I was wondering...does he feel the same way about  _you_?" The question made her glare falter. She quickly turned away, avoiding eye contact with him again.  
  
"...H...How could he? He went behind my back and helped my mother! He's the reason Gladion's-"  
  
"Lillie, I'm  _sure_ Guzma has done a  _lot_ of bad things. But the only one who's the blame for what happened to Gladion, to  _Nebula_ , is your  _mother_. And he said before he had been working for her before you showed up, right? So it's not like he started working with her to  _spite_ you or something."  
  
"...I still can't forgive him for what he's done."  
  
"I know you're upset. But think about everything he's done to  _help_ you. You're  _incredibly_ strong! Your pokémon were all  _amazing_ from what I saw back at the Foundation. He did what he promised you as far as  _I_ can tell. He helped you be able to face your fears, the same way I helped Gladion learn to face  _his_. From what I can tell...he's been a lot like a father for you."  
  
Lillie considered these words very carefully. She wanted to scream in his face about how wrong he was. How Guzma was nothing but a selfish, cheapskate criminal who deserved every bit of justice as her mother did. But she couldn't. All she could do was remember all the moments she had shared with him. Hau was right. He  _had_ been like a father to her. So much so, she considered him one. And Strelitzia too. And Plumeria. Everyone back in Po Town, all people she had become so close with in the last month.  
  
"I know it's none of my business. But I think right about now...Guzma is sulking around wondering what he could've done differently. I know you don't hate him. You spent so much time with him up to now. Sure, you're mad...and you  _say_ you can't forgive him. But that's just your rage talking. Just like how I got upset at Lusamine and threatened her. I didn't  _mean_  what I said...I was just upset."  
  
Yet again, she had no means to correct him. He was just correct. At least, she had hoped he was. She knew that Hau definitely was not in a sane state of mind when he threatened her mother so carelessly like that. And that was another thing she had to think about. Now that her mother was behind bars...what was left for her? There was no other home for her to return to. None other than Po Town, anyways. After this mission was over and they rescued her brother, she had no where to go.  
  
Her hardened resolve was quickly starting to crack. She wondered if her brother ever had to deal with how annoyingly good this boy was at cracking into one's deepest inner conflicts. It was almost as if he had a knack for it. Hau looked up as he noticed the sun come back out and a rainbow sparkled across the sky. "Oh hey, the rain's stopped." He turned his head to address Lillie again. He noticed immediately that she had a Ride Pager in her hand, and on the screen, it displayed that she had called a Charizard.  
  
"Ah...Lillie?"  
  
She ignored him, stepping out of the shelter they had taken to get a good look at the sky. The rainbow was quite fetching. It reminded her again of another happy memory she had with her brother. She turned her head back to look at Hau. He was still confused as to what she was doing it seemed. "I'll meet you all at the Altar. There's someone I need to talk to." Hau was quiet, as her Charizard quickly arrived and landed beside her. Then, he smiled and waved at her as she quickly geared up and boarded it.  
  
"Don't be late."  
  
She smirked, "Same to you."  
  
And with that, the Charizard lifted her up and away from the island. Not two seconds later, was Hau approached by one of the Exeggutor he and Lillie had aided. It seemed to be trying to communicate something to him. It beckoned him along on his path to find the flute. Eventually, he found that there was virtually a complete dead-end. However, it was quickly remedied when the Exeggutor leaned down it's neck to allow Hau to board the leafs at the top of it's head. He stared at it in bewilderment.  
  
"You're...giving me a lift?"  
  
"Exegg!"  
  
Hau smiled, happily climbing onto it's head and keeping a firm hold as it slowly and carefully lifted it's neck back up. Hau found himself able to reach the top of the wall, which allowed him to continue on his search. After climbing off the Exeggutor's head, he gave it a pat and thanked it. "Thanks buddy." He quickly turned and continued along the path he was given. it didn't take him long to reach the top. And once he did, he found a fancy looking pedestal with a golden orange flute sat atop it.  
  
He approached it slowly, staring intently at the flute as he observed it more closely. In contrast to the Moon Flute, it had a symbol resembling the bright sun on the top of it. He reached out, gently taking it as he looked it over. His mind was swirled with thoughts of Gladion as he gently put the flute away into his backpack. He looked up at the sky again as he stood back up, slinging his backpack back over his shoulders. As the memory of his dream slipped back into his thoughts again, he turned to return to the Exeggutor.  
  
"Don't worry, alola...I'll find you. And this time, I won't let  _anything_ take you away."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PokéUpdate:  
> In recent news, we've got some new Galar Pokémon. Who's your favorite that's been announced so far?  
> Mine is Yamper. Free cheers for the goodest god damn boy that has ever lived ^w^  
> Lowkey wanna adopt Allister btw he's so adorkable .w.


	53. Chapter 52 - I'm Almost Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillie returns to Po Town to reconcile with Guzma, the man she has come to know as her father for quite some time now, as Hau finally makes his way to the top of the Altar to meet with Moon and start the ritual.

The sun was settling over the horizon as dusk tainted the sky with oranges that were bleeding into purple. Most of the stars were out, and the moon was halfway to it's destination at the top of the sky. Strelitzia sat outside the home that once inhabited her idol. It had been an hour since she was shooed out of Guzma's throne room. She was too scared to go back. She was too scared to leave. She had no idea what she was supposed to do. She deeply missed her sister figure, but there was nothing to be done.  
  
And after what Plumeria had confessed, she wasn't able to think straight. Her Chansey and Morelull were trying their best to console her, but it was to no avail. She was silent, just like she had used to be before she met Lillie. Only a few grunts were still walking around at this point. Most of them just ignored her, deciding to leave her to her own devices. Of course, she really just wanted someone to ask her if she was ok. But she'd never admit this. That's when one of the many footsteps she heard only got louder rather than fading.  
  
She looked up once they had stopped, finding her mentor and Admin, Plumeria. She had a regretful face as she looked down on her. For a moment, there were no words between them. Until Plumeria spoke up hesitantly, "H-Hey...kid." Strelitzia sniffed, wiping the tears still in her eyes away and averting her salmon eyes away from Plumeria's amber orbs. "Hey, Admin..." she greeted back. It only took seconds for Plumeria to notice she had her mask on despite not being outside Po Town's walls.  
  
A habit she had long since broken from when she was still terrified of her family finding her. "Is it...alright if I sit with you?" Plumeria prodded. Strelitzia hesitantly looked up at her, then nodded. Her mentor sat beside her, Strelitzia's pokémon shuffling out of the way to give her space. The awkward silence that followed was stagnant and agonizing. Plumeria sneered awkwardly, looking to the side to make Strelitzia feel more comfortable. "Just...checkin' up on ya. Is everything ok?"  
  
Strelitzia's eyes glazed over again, but she refused to cry in front of the Admin. "I-I'm...I'm fine, Admin. It's nothing, really," she insisted. But Plumeria could see through a childish lie by now. She was practically mothering over 30 kids at this point. She sighed, "Sweetie, you're sulkin' outside her house. I know that ain't true." Strelitzia pouted under her mask, but her brows gave enough indication she didn't appreciate being called out like this. Still, Plumeria stood firm and waited for her to try again.  
  
Eventually, her scowl faltered and she let out a deep sigh. "I'm just...really worried, about Princess Lillie," she admitted. She turned her eyes to look up at Plumeria. "She didn't come home with the boss. Did something bad happen to her?" Plumeria bit her lower lip. She really didn't want to have this conversation. It would break Strelitzia's heart to pieces. She was already fragile enough. Lillie had been her cushion in times of loneliness lately. But now that the kid knew their dirty secret, she rightfully wished they were dead.  
  
Still, she knew better than to lie to these kids. Most of them were too smart to lie to, anyways. And Strelitzia deserved better than Plumeria treating her like she was a toddler. "Kid...I'm gonna be honest with you," she sighed. Strelitzia didn't interrupt, waiting patiently for Plumeria to explain. "Listen, it wasn't  _you_ he was mad at back there, you know that, right?" Strelitzia nodded, "Mmhm. He just gets really upset sometimes...and when he gets upset he gets drunk. And then he gets more upset."  
  
"Yeah. Well, he was mostly just mad at me. I did something really bad, Stret. And I can't take it back. Something that made  _other_ bad things happen today," she admitted. Strelitzia raised a brow at her, "You mean...kidnapping Princess Lillie's brother?" Plumeria nodded. "You hit the nail on the head." Strelitzia was left only a bit confused by this. But she still let Plumeria continue. "Since things have changed now, there's something you should know..." she muttered, hesitantly.  
  
"We...were working for the Aether Foundation for over a year."  
  
Strelitzia's eyes were blown wide at the confession. She didn't know where to even begin. It sounded like complete crazy. Guzma, allowing himself to be leashed by some random woman in a large position of power? What could she have possibly offered him to make him go against his own principals for so long? All the while,  _lying_ to their faces. And Plumeria too. What did she have to gain in all this? Was she just let in because she was one of the adults? None of this made any sense!  
  
Then, she considered Plumeria's wording. She stared at her in bewilderment, "... _Were_  working...?" Plumeria nodded, surprised that  _that_ was the part of the sentence she had latched onto. Perhaps her shock forced her to focus on the context rather than the implications. "That's...right. Guzma quit for us earlier today. When they were out trying to rescue Lillie's brother," she explained. Strelitzia blinked at her. "Why...?" she asked simply. The question threw Plumeria for a bit of a loop.  
  
"Wh...what?"  
  
"Why did he quit? A-And...why even work for her in the  _first_ place?!"  
  
"It's a complicated story, Stret. Guzma's all about power and proving himself to the world, and so am I. We all are. So, when Lusamine offered us a taste of that power in exchange for loyalty...we took the bait."  
  
"Power...?"  
  
"Some kind of alien species of pokémon called Ultra Beasts. All high tech science shit I can't really get into myself."  
  
"So...what changed his mind?"  
  
Plumeria wracked her brain on that question for a moment. Truthfully, she hadn't bothered asking him that part. And she could only assume that he had quit his gig with Lusamine. That, or he was fired. After all, he broke into her mansion and opposed her. But the logistics of how all of it had gone down were details she'd have to pry out of him when he wasn't still bleeding with fresh wounds. "Well, Stret, I don't rightly know yet," she admitted, honestly. "W-Well...what about Lillie?" Strelitzia asked again.  
  
She was never going to stop asking. Plumeria knew that. It was best to rip the band aid off now. Dragging this out would only hurt her more. "Stret, I-" she was interrupted by the sound of a Charizard's roar. Strelitzia and Plumeria looked up curiously, and found a Charizard taxi flying into Po Town from over the wall. It landed right in front of them with a loud crashing sound. Off it's back hopped a face that they almost didn't recognize without all the make up and dark clothes.  
  
It was Lillie.  
  
Strelitzia and Plumeria instantly jumped to their feet, Strelitzia even pulling down her mask. She took a step towards Lillie, her eyes pricking with tears. "L-Lillie?!" she called. Lillie smiled at her softly, "I'm home, little sis..." Strelitzia burst out into tears, glomping Lillie in a tight and emotional hug. Lillie rubbed her hand along her back and pet her head to soothe her. "Shhh, it's alright. I'm ok. Sorry I scared you like that..." she cooed. Plumeria was left frozen in shock.  
  
She was hesitant to speak, let alone approach. She managed somehow to take a step back. Lillie noticed, and instantly stopped all her motions on Strelitzia. The younger girl noticed, and looked up to see what Lillie was looking at. She let go of her idol, stepping to the side and putting her hands behind her back apprehensively. She knew she would do best to stay out of this one. Slowly, Lillie walked up to her, and stopped just a few inches from her. She stared up at her, almost intently.  
  
Plumeria felt like she may catch on fire under her gaze. It was certainly intimidating. Even without her darkened look. Now Plumeria was no mind reader, but she had usually been able to predict the reactions of others. Her constant interaction with Guzma and with the children helped her in that department. However, Lillie was about as readable as a stone wall. Plumeria knew there was only one thing she could do. She had to apologize. Whether or not Lillie cared or even forgave here was irrelevant.  
  
"L-Listen, Lillie, I...I'm sorry for what I-"  
  
"What did mother say to you?"  
  
Plumeria was left in stunned silence at the sudden interruption. Despite hearing Lillie loud and clear, she felt as though she  _must_ have been mistaken about what she heard. "C...Could you repeat that?" Lillie didn't skip a beat as she repeated it word for word. "What did my mother say to you?" she reiterated, her tone more impatient this time. There was no mistaking it now. Plumeria had indeed heard correctly. But now this left her with  _more_ questions.  
  
"That's...the first thing...you want to ask me?"  
  
"I'm not stupid, Plumeria."  
  
"I-I didn't say-"  
  
"I've been here for over a month. I've trained with you, talked with you, spent time with you...I know you. You're a smart, rational person. Unlike Guzma. That's why you're his Admin. So forgive me if I have a hard time believing my brother's kidnapping was all  _your_ idea."  
  
Plumeria blinked at this. She didn't even have an argument to this. Plumeria was merely just surprised that Lillie was willing to consider her side of things at all. But the princess wanted what the princess wanted. So she had to deliver. "She was gettin' antsy about Guzma ignorin' 'er calls," she began. Strelitzia stepped a little closer to hear her better, being intrigued to know as well what exactly had gone down between the adults. Lillie was already processing this first fact in her mind.  
  
"She swindled a couple of the kids into doin' her dirty work somehow and figured out where he was hidin'. She wanted proof of loyalty, and Guzma had proven untrustworthy. So she told me if I don't do nuthin', everybody gets arrested, the kids get sent back home to their 'families', and Po Town gets burned to ashes."  
  
Strelitzia gasped quietly to herself, and Lillie's eyes went wide. She looked away from Plumeria, carefully processing all of this for a good few minutes. Guzma ignoring Lusamine's calls was curious enough, but it was clear her mother's patience had worn thin either way. She was a woman who demanded results. She was much like a spoiled child, honestly. "I'm guessing Guzma didn't know about this?" she asked. Plumeria nodded, "I...I was gone for so long after because I was tryna think of some way to tell 'im."  
  
Lillie was quiet again for a long moment. Both girls were curious and anxious as to what could be on her mind. Lillie looked up again, and said something neither of them expected to hear. "And where is he right now?" Plumeria cringed, "I...I don't think that's a good idea. He's drinking and-" Lillie interrupted, her tone impatient again. "Where, is, he?" She was scowling now. It was clear she wasn't in any mood to be hassled or stalled. Plumeria sighed again, hoping she wasn't making yet another grave mistake.  
  
"In his throne room...like usual."  
  
Lillie looked away from her, starting for the mansion as she passed her mentor. However, she stopped briefly, and turned her head to look back at her. Plumeria noticed and gazed back nervously. "...Thank you, for not hurting him." She turned away again and continued on her path towards the mansion. Plumeria blinked in shock again and was taken aback by the gratitude. Strelitzia hugged Plumeria's arm nervously, and they both watched Lillie disappear down the road and into the mansion.  
  
All was quiet. Not a single grunt was inside today. At least, not anymore. They always left when Guzma started drinking. Even she did, sometimes. As she walked up the stairs and along towards his throne room, many memories came back to her. The first time she slept in Guzma's room, Guzma asking her to train in his pool, dusting grunts in the hallways and playing with Strelitzia on the staircase. As she walked out onto the balcony, she also remembered all the times she sat at the top of the wall.  
  
Even looking out over Po Town itself brought back a few fond memories for her. Her training with Plumeria and Strelitzia, getting her first piercing, and even drinking her very first beer. This shabby town held much more fondness for her than her childhood room could ever hope to match. And yet still, it was tainted with a sadness. A cold and broken feeling in her chest that she had gotten far too used to by now. As she finally approached the door to Guzma's room, she found herself frozen.  
  
_I should turn back..._ she thought  _I should just...go back to Poni and get to the Altar. I don't **need** him for this...!  
  
_But she sighed in defeat as Hau's annoyingly accurate words rang through her head. He was too good at persuasion. Yet again, she was left wondering just how her brother had ever learned to cope. But the answer was always obvious. He never did. He merely just fell in love and learned to grow fond of it. How pitiful. She stared at the door knob. She always knew she had to knock first before entering, no matter  _what_ state he was in. She took a deep and long breath, before knocking.  
  
_..._  
  
"Go the fuck away, Plum! I  _don't_ wanna fuckin' talk to ya!"  
  
Lillie was surprised to find that he wasn't slurring his words. Merely just raging to himself. Though, she couldn't possibly only tell off his voice alone. Hesitantly, she spoke up. "I-It's not Plumeria! It's Lillie..." He was silent at this. She could hear Golisopod moving as footsteps frantically approached the door. She also could've sworn she heard something like...a bottle breaking? She didn't have time to contemplate before the door swung open. And what greeted her was quite the surprise.  
  
Just as she had guessed, Guzma was no where nears drunk. He wasn't swaying, he didn't look sick, he didn't even have any spills on him from obvious failed attempts to get more wasted than he would've already been. He just had bruises on his arms and his knuckles appeared to be bandaged up and soaked with blood. Looking behind him and into the room, she could see holes in the wall and a plethora of brownish glass that could only belong to a beer bottle. She stared at him in bewilderment, and he stared back with the same level of shock.  
  
"Y...You're back...?"  
  
"...I...c-came to talk...with you. Plumeria said that...you were drinking?"  
  
"N...No, I..."  
  
He trailed off, biting his lower lip apprehensively. He stepped out of his room, closing the door behind him, which prompted Lillie to step back. "L-Let's just talk out here. Nobody's in the house, anyways. It's too dangerous in there right now." She took his word for it, observing him up and down again carefully. She had only seen him a few hours ago, but he looked a lot more beat up than when he had left her and her comrades. "Your arms...and your knuckles. What happened?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, all  _this_? Just...lettin' my anger out is all. Y-You don't need to worry about it pri- ... _Lillie_."  
  
The forced correction made her wince. She looked down shyly. What was one even supposed to do in this sort of situation? Hau made forgiveness sound easy, but in this moment, it was practically like punching a concrete wall. Much like what Guzma had attempted. Guzma was the first to start, surprisingly enough. "So, w-what uhh...what did you wanna talk to me about?" he asked. A valid question. After all she had said to him, this must have been quite confusing. She didn't want to send mixed signals.  
  
"I er...came to ask some questions."  
  
"Oh...you...want an explanation, then?"  
  
"Y...Yeah. I guess, I won't have closure until I know."  
  
"That makes sense..."  
  
He sighed deeply, "So, where do you want to start?" Lillie blinked at him carefully.  _Where indeed_ she thought. She decided to start from the top. "Why did you work for her?" An easy question with an even easier answer. Guzma rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he avoided eye contact with her. "L-Look, I ain't fuckin' whack-o over Ultra Beasts like yer ma. All I wanted was power, and these Ultra Beasts sounded like a real good chance to punch up at the Kahunas for me," he explained.  
  
"So...she fed you some pretty lies about how she'd share her toys?"  
  
"Pretty much..."  
  
"...Plumeria said you started ignoring Lusamine's calls lately. That's why she called Plumeria instead and blackmailed her into kidnapping my brother."  
  
"Yeah...that's on me. I can't apologize enough for-"  
  
"Stop. I wanna know why you ignored her."  
  
Guzma gave her a stern look. "You won't believe me kid," he admitted, bluntly. Lillie just stared back with determination in her eyes. "It's not a matter of if I think it's bullshit or not, Guzma. I want closure. So just tell me." He was still contemplating whether or not to tell her the truth. After all, even if she said it didn't matter, it was pointless to try to appeal to her now. Not after how clear she made it that she wanted nothing to do with him.  
  
_"You're **dead** to me, you  **monster**!"  
  
_"...I've been takin' care of kids like you for a long time, Lillie. But when you came around...shit changed.  _I_ changed. I knew who you were the second I laid eyes on ya. You'd have to be a fuckin' moron  _not_ to know."  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Yeah, it is. So when you came to me just like every other kid who lives here...shit started gettin' put into perspective. Of course, it was barely a couple a' days before yer mom started badgerin' me to look for her kids. And at first, she didn't give a shit about either of youse. She just wanted the pokémon we needed for our venture."  
  
"I guessed as much..."  
  
"I managed to convince her I only had time to chase down  _one_ kid. So I started havin' the other grunts look for yer brother to take that Type:Null offa him. I specifically told 'em to not touch 'im  _or_ his other pokémon, too. But I guess the lack of progress made ol' Lusamine all upset."  
  
"So why waste her time? Didn't you want to capture the beasts too?"  
  
"...Not after I spent so much time with  _you_ , kid. I realized this shit ain't black and white. I thought maybe if I just ignored 'er, she'd stop botherin' me about it. I mean, she had to have better shit to do with her time, right?"  
  
"But it only made her  _more_ angry...right?"  
  
"Sure seems like it. Thanks to my brilliant thinkin', Plumeria got swindled into doin' 'er dirty work, my kids were involved in places I never wanted 'em to be, and I got yer brother lost in fuckin' Arceus-knows- _what_ dimension with a bunch of monsters! That wasn't the plan, but...shit just went south too fast."  
  
Lillie raised a brow at this. "Wasn't the plan"? What did that even mean? "What do you mean 'That wasn't the plan'? What plan? Are you talking about the rescue?" Guzma swore under his breath, " _Shit_...!" Now she was curious. She gave him a stern look and grabbed him by his shirt. "Guzma,  _what_ plan?! What were you trying to do?!" she yelled. Guzma held his hands up, frantically trying to defend himself. There was no other way out of this than telling the truth, and he knew it.  
  
"A-Alright, alright! Calm down, I'll tell ya!"  
  
She unhanded him, stepping back and crossing her arms indignantly as she scowled at him. He swallowed hard. This part was  _really_ going to be difficult for her to believe. "I...I was workin' with Nanu, same as Moon was. I didn't know  _she_ was in on the operation, but...my plan was to just go rescue yer brother and bring 'im here to hideout." This still left much up to the imagination. "And do  _what_?" she snapped. "A-And collect evidence against yer mother!" he blurted.  
  
Her scowl faded as she was left stunned. She was silent. The blonde had no words for this confession. Her mind was flipping around on itself just trying to process all of this. He hesitantly continued, "I'm a criminal, so not even Nanu would believe me unless I had somethin' on 'er. Somethin' credible. But I still wanted to keep you kids safe in the meantime. So I-" He was interrupted when he heard Lillie scoff. He looked up, but her eyes were trained down to the floor as her head hung.  
  
She began shaking, before snickering to herself quietly. The reaction confused Guzma. Why was she laughing? But that all faded away when tears began to stream down her face. She sniffled, still laughing between her sobs. Eventually, she lifted her head up. She wasn't able to smile anymore. She gasped, trying to compose herself but failing quite miserably. "Y...You  _idiot_...!" she snapped. Guzma gave her a pitiful look, and hesitantly approached her. He reached out his hand slowly, giving her opportunity to move it away.  
  
But she didn't, and allow him to wipe the tears from her face. "Oh sweetheart...I'm so sorry," he whispered. She shook her head. "N-No...shut up! You're a dumb asshole, you know that...?!" He nodded, pulling her into a hug to comfort her. "I know..." he sighed. She sniffled, "You knew I freaking  _hated_ him, didn't you? I'd just try to kill him if you brought him here you know...your plan was  _shit_...!" Guzma didn't bother arguing with her. She was merely venting. And it seemed not entirely out of spite, either.  
  
"A-And what...? How would you even get dirt on her, huh, you jack ass?"  
  
"I...I dunno...! We infiltrated her headquarters no problem, didn't we?"  
  
"That's cause you had  _us_ there! You'd never be able to pull that off by yourself!"  
  
"Gimme some credit, will ya...? I can be sneaky if I wanted to..."  
  
"Y-Yeah right...! You're about as stealthy as a Golurk in the middle of a city."  
  
Lillie sniffled, pulling off of Guzma to wipe away her own tears. She cleared her throat, trying to keep her face dry enough so that it wasn't distracting. She looked up at him with apprehensive eyes. "I...I believe you, Guzma. You've taken  _really_ good care of me. Of Strelitzia. Of  _everyone_. I-I don't know if...I could forgive you so easily, but you're still another one of mother's victims." He stared at her in disbelief. Was this really even happening right now? He could hardly accept this as reality.  
  
"I know...I probably have no right to ask this after wh-what I said to you. But...I need- ...I  _want_ your help."  
  
"A-Anything, sweetheart. Just name it."  
  
"We...figured out how to get my brother back. But it's going to be really dangerous. Will you come with us...? To help protect us?"  
  
They stared at each other silently for a long moment. Then, Guzma pulled her into yet another hug. He breathed shakily as he finally answered her. "O-Of course, pumpkin...whatever you need." She felt like crying again, but she held it in. She hesitantly wrapped her arms around him to return the gesture. She definitely liked the safe feeling of being in his arms. She turned her head to look at him apprehensively. Despite all her remaining anger and doubts, she still had one last thing she had to tell him.  
  
"Guzma...?"  
  
"Yeah, Lillie?"  
  
"...You were a good dad."  
  
"...And  _you_ were a perfect daughter."  


* * *

  
The Altar was astonishingly breath-taking. It was an old place, so the long staircase that lead up to it was broken and cracked. Pillars that had the same symbols that were on the flutes stood tall on either side of several places at this sacred place. The entire area was symmetrical and intricately designed. A large memorium-like stone structure stood with it's back against the mountainous rock of the area. It almost resembled a clock in it's shape. There was a thin line embedded in it that lead down to a small dam-like hold of water.  
  
It appeared to be a controlled collective waterfall of some kind. In it's consistent symmetry, there were also stairs behind the main centerpiece of the Altar on either side that lead to some sort of stone pillar that acted as a floor in either of the square pools where most of the water was kept. There was many stone brick and dirt patches that invaded what little greenery was left. The overall area was gorgeous, much comparable to a villa. It was the epitome of ancient history.  
  
It was almost midnight now. Moon hadn't been expecting things to take so long. But, sometimes that's just how it was. She could rest here while she waited if need-be. But it seemed that it  _wasn't_ needed, as Hau arrived, running up the tall stair case that lead to the center of the Altar with heavy breaths. She was immediately curious as to Lillie's whereabouts, but there were more important things to confirm first. She approached Hau frantically, and didn't wait for his breathing to steady before she asked the obvious.  
  
"Did you get it?!"  
  
"It's...r-right... _here_!"  
  
Hau held up the Sun Flute to show Moon, and she nodded in satisfaction. She took a deep breath, before she finally yelled at him. "ARE YOU FREAKING  _CRAZY_ , HAU?! Where in the name of Arceus have you been?! And  _where_ is Lillie?!" she snapped. Hau didn't bother trying to defend himself, he needed to catch his breath first. And once he did, he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "I-It's...kinda my fault. She went back to Po Town to see Guzma." Moon gave him an estranged look.  
  
"Po Town? Guzma?"  
  
"I  _kinda_ told her that she should at least give him a chance to explain himself, and...well..."  
  
"We don't have time for this...!"  
  
She shoved the Sun Flute back into Hau's hands. She ran her hands through her hair impatiently as she growled under her breath. "You'll have to play it. We've wasted enough time already!" Hau was about to console her, when Lillie's voice came from above them. "Looks like I'm not the only one with anger problems around here!" They looked up and found her on a Charizard taxi. With her, was curiously Guzma. They landed swiftly, quickly deboarding from the taxi and sending it on it's way.  
  
Moon raised a brow at her, "Are you sure about this, Lillie?" The blonde was silent for a moment, glancing at Guzma with her own apprehensive look. He just looked back at her curiously. Lillie sighed, looking away from him. "No. But I don't have time to really think about it right now, according to  _you_ ," she admitted, bluntly. Hau just gave her a proud smile that made her sweat a little and give a sheepish look. She wanted to deny that he had an influence to her decision, but she was no liar.  
  
She took a sheet out of her bag, handing it to Moon to read. "We also stopped by Hapu's to get this," she said. Moon took it and read it over carefully. It was the instructions on how to play the melody needed to summon the legendary pokémon. She grinned, almost smugly so. "Lills, you're a  _genius_! I almost forgot about this!" Lillie fumed at the nickname, pouting hard. "Wh-what did you just call me?!" Moon ignored her, looking over the sheet more carefully to study it.  
  
Hau handed her the flute, opting not to embarrass her in favor of the mission at hand. "Here, I don't really think I know how to play. You can do this, right?" he asked. She looked it over carefully. True as it were, she was fairly familiar with how to play such a device. It wasn't rocket science, after all. But just merely holding this flute gave her a strange feeling. "It feels like it was made to fit my hand. I think...I can play it..." she agreed. Moon nodded, between Hau and Guzma.  
  
"You boys just stay over here. It's probably safer that way."  
  
They both obeyed this instruction, keeping themselves at the bottom of the staircase to the concrete stage in the center of the Altar. The girls took their respective flutes, and each traveled to one of the symmetrical stone padded areas that kept their feet from wetting in the water that was held tightly in it's keep. They gave each other glances, before they each raised their flutes to their mouths. Then, they each played the soothing and ancient melody simultaneously.  
  
For a moment, all was silent. Then...the ground began to shake. The water glowed brightly with a heavy blue hue. Both Moon and Lillie were left disoriented, trying to keep their balance. The light extended from the square spaces of their locations, and upwards into the rest of the water. It stretched up through the thin waterfalls on either side at the bottom of the large structure behind them, circling around until reaching the top. Once it did, it all glowed with greens and yellows, and the center of the clock-like structure unhinged.  
  
Inside was nothing but seemingly a yellow light. However, as they all stared on at it, it began glowing brighter with an energy charge. Then, it fired at the center stage of the Altar, glowing with all sorts of colors like a rainbow. It created a small colorful orb in the spot, and everyone stared in awe and shock. They were all so distracted, Lillie didn't notice her dufflebag began jimmying around and frantically shaking about. However, she was snapped out of it when the Cosmoem suddenly lodged itself from her bag.  
  
She reached out towards it, but stopped herself when she saw where it was going. It floated over to the orb in the center stage of the Altar, spinning around as it slowly pulled itself towards the top of the bubble that began to turn blue. Lillie was at a completely loss of words. As was everyone, really. Cosmoem began to glow brightly, with the same blue color that turned deeper and more dark as the light show continued. Nobody was able to see what happened next as a bright flash of light nearly blinded them and forced them to shield their eyes.  
  
When they looked up again, the light show antics had stopped. Where Cosmoem once was, was a large, beautiful, and truly majestic creature. It much resembled a bat in appearance, but it's overall look held the essence of a crescent moon. It had a short and pointy snout, framed in white up to the bridge of it's nose and below it's eyes on it's cheeks. It's eyes seemed to blend into it's overall face, which held the same endless starscape Cosmoem's bubble did. It's pinkish eyes had white iris-like orbs in the center, with it's pupils matching the scelra of it's eyes.  
  
A rigid and rough looking golden crest that connected to it's neck stretched up to form it's head into a crescent moon-like shape. A bit of skin stretched from them into the main portion of it's head, almost acting like ears. It was white, with small slashes of deep blue to accompany it. It's overall torso and arms were skeletal and bone-like, small spikes poking out of it's shoulders as well. Each of it's massive wings held two claws in the middle section of it's long white arms.   
  
The entirety of it's body was essentially a stretched out flap of blue skin, with it's tail and wings connecting into the same body part. It's tail and wings were decorated with much the same golden crests that held both it's wings and it's tail in a position most optimal to fly and glide. Off some of the points of it's wings were bits of the rigid golden material that formed star-like shapes that small white points on it's arm each pointed to, with a white dot in the middle of each one.   
  
Both it's wings and it's tail were curved in the same manner it's head was, to finalize it's solidation as what was undoubtedly the legendary pokémon that Alola so highly revered. The moon god; Lunala. It cried out it's loud and unmistakable roar for the first time as everyone's jaws were left dropped. All but Lillie, who for the first time in quite a while wore a genuine, happy grin on her face. "Mahina-peeeeeaaaaaa!" it roared, landing lower towards the stage of the Altar as it flapped it's massive wings.  
  
Lillie was the first to move her feet to approach it, circling back and around to greet her companion. Moon followed suit shortly thereafter, shaking the awe of it all from her head to focus on the mission at hand. It took Hau and Guzma a couple minutes longer to get with the program however. Hau turned to look at Guzma, blinking at him sheepishly. "Um...are you alright, sir?" he asked. Guzma didn't even hear him. He was still stuck on the entire spectacle. "...Holy  _shit_ ," he muttered under his breath.  
  
"Nebula!" Lillie cried, running up to Lunala eagerly. The Lunala gave her a sentimental look of recognition, floating down a little lower to get a good look at her. Her smile faded for a moment, "Nebula...th-thank goodness you're alright..." She smiled again quickly, "Please don't ever do that again! You made me worry so much!" As she pat it's head and allowed it to nuzzle her, she felt the cold and yet soothing power of the moon flowing through her fingertips. It was all just so unbelievable.  
  
"I never imagined sounding the flutes would give you so much power... _or_ let you evolve into the legendary pokémon!"  
  
"Mahiiiiiina~!"  
  
Moon stepped forward, still focused to do what they came here to do. Nebula looked at her curiously, not really recognizing her on first glance. It had never really met her before, after all. "Please, Lunala. We've called you here because we need your help. Our friend is trapped in Ultra Space, and we've heard that you're capable of getting us where we need to go," she explained. Nebula was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded at her to confirm this, and instantly everyone's nerves were finally at true ease.  
  
Hau and Guzma approached, Hau being the next one to step forward. "Nebula, right? I  _really_ need to find my boyfriend. He's all alone and scared out there with the Nihilego...do you know where to find him?" Nebula tilted it's head at the mention of the Nihilego. While it kept it's old memories as a Cosmog, it had been shaken awake to other memories in a time where it was Lunala once before. Lillie realized this quickly as she saw it squint it's eyes. "O-Oh! They're um...big jellyfish creatures!"  
  
Nebula still didn't seem to understand, prompting Lillie to take out her phone. She held up the screen to it to show off a picture she had pulled up. One of her dressed in the outfit her mother had forced her into so often. Instantly, Nebula appeared to understand what it was she was describing. "Maaaahhhh!" it cried. Hau grinned joyfully, "R-Really?! You can take us to him?! Thanks, Nebula! We won't forget this, I promise!" Nebula nodded, lowering itself onto the ground to allow everyone to board it's back.  
  
They all happily hopped on, Moon taking the head of the Lunala to steer it. Once everyone was on, Nebula flapped it's wings and flew up into the skies. It roared, and just between it's eyes glowed a white spot that was the same insignia as the Moon Flute. Everyone watched wordlessly shocked again as it tore open a wormhole large enough to fit itself inside. Once it was opened, Nebula darted inside of it, taking them into a dizzying and confusing starscape of colors that would drive any lone human mad.  
  
Scattered about were a multitude of other wormholes. However, these looked vastly different. They had color, and some were flashy and bright. Nebula ignored almost every single one, until finally it found itself upon a flashing white and blue colored wormhole. It cried out to point it out, Moon being the only one able to see it closely enough. "So that's where their nest is, huh...? Then let's not waste anymore time, get us in there!" Nebula nodded, diving into the hole after forcing it to extend so that it could enter.  
  
The light within the tunnel was too bright, and everyone was forced to close their eyes tightly. However, the light quickly faded as they landed. Nebula cried out quietly to them to signal that it was ok to open their eyes again. And they did. They quickly deboarded from Nebula's back, and everyone got a good look around the new area they had been thrust into. It was almost like a sea colony, except there was no water. Just dry rock and some bits of sea-like plants floating about in a non-existent wind.  
  
Was it perhaps a somewhat sentient creature of some kind? It was a dark and almost black sort of blue that covered the area. There were a few white spots on a few of the rocks, but not much color aside from that. It was also drearily dark. Aside from a clear light with bustling noises. It much resembled the corridor in Lusamine's laboratory in that respect. Regardless, it was too narrow for Nebula to squeeze itself through. Guzma and the children were on their own this time.  
  
Moon nodded, turning her head back to look at everyone. "Alright...this is it guys. We'll have to be prepared for whatever comes at us down there." Everyone nodded, following Moon as she began through the narrow pathway. Lillie looked up at Nebula worriedly, "Stay safe, Nebby. We'll come back for you, I promise." Nebula nodded, nudging her to join her allies. She did so without question, turning away and swiftly catching up with Guzma and the others. As she did, she found they were whispering about the plan already.  
  
"Talk to me guys, I need a theory here," Moon said.  
  
"Well...maybe they just wanted to eat somethin'."  
  
" _Guzma_...! My brother is  _not_ being  _eaten_...!"  
  
"S-Sorry Pr- ... _Lillie_. But why else would an alien just snatch someone up like that?"  
  
Hau pondered for a moment before he answered, "Well, Lusamine said something...about being their queen, right? And it was  _trying_ to grab Lillie, right?"  
  
"Yeah? So?" Moon prodded.  
  
"Sooo, what if they're looking for someone to lead them?"  
  
"You mean like...a hive?" Lillie asked, apprehensively.  
  
"I...I'm not sure. I don't think they intended to grab Gladion, regardless. Not just any random person would do I think. Why else would it have attacked Lusamine and gone for  _you_ instead?"  
  
"But what kind of person are they looking for, exactly?"  
  
Guzma thought hard about this, "Hmm...maybe someone young. Someone that'll live a pretty damn long time. Humans don't live all that long, after all."  
  
"And who's to say these things live longer than humans?"  
  
"Just a theory, I guess."  
  
Moon looked ahead of her again. They were nearing the end of the corridor. She could see a few Nihilego sweeping about in the air, and a few lights were flickering in the distance. "So then, we all agree it's  _most_ likely they've still got Gladion, and intact, and are either brainwashing him or keeping him in a safe place where intruders can't harm him?" Everyone nodded at her when she looked back at them. Her eyes narrowed. She finally stopped just before they exited the corridor to observe what was outside.  
  
It was a much more organized looking ecosystem. There were many plants and coral-like structures that resembled much of Earth's own plants and under-water sea creatures. A few plants were sources of light, and there were many Nihilego traveling back and forth almost in an organized fashion. Some of the Nihilego were smaller, younger looking. Some looked old, and worn, and baggy. But her eyes landed on the center of this little collection of creatures. It was almost like a beacon.  
  
And at the center was the largest looking Nihilego of every one here. It looked familiar for some reason. That's when she saw it as it turned itself around. Wrapped in it's tentacles was the very boy they had been looking for. It had Gladion in it's grasp. She gasped in shock, prompting Lillie to ask what was up. "What is it? What do you see?" Moon was about to answer when she noticed something, squinting her eyes at Gladion to make out more clearly what it was she had noticed.  
  
His head was much closer to the dome bubble of the Nihilego's own head now. But not lodged inside of it. There was a glow coming from it though, a glow that covered the top of his head. White static seemed to twitch along all of his skin, and his face was blank. But most horrifyingly was his eyes. There was no iris. There was no pupil. They were completely white, devoid of the emerald they once held. She responded back hesitantly, "Guys...I see Gladion."  
  
"You do...?!" Hau hissed back. She nodded before looking back at him. "But...there's something wrong with him. I think that Nihilego is... _controlling_ him." Guzma raised a skeptic brow at this. "Are ya sure?" he asked. Moon shook her head, "No, I...I can't be  _certain_ just yet. But his eyes are all white and glowy. And he looks so... _lifeless_. Almost like...a puppet." Lillie was sent into panic at this, as was Hau. "W-Well we have to do something!" she yelped. Moon shushed her, slapping a hand over her mouth and pushing everyone back when a Nihilego came to inspect the noise.  
  
Thankfully, it moved on, allowing them to speak quietly amongst themselves. "Listen, there is a  _swarm_ of them out there, and we don't know  _what_ these damn things are capable of in packs...! We have to be careful about this, or Gladion might get hurt. Or worse,  _we_ will and nobody will come to save us, either." Lillie nodded, forcefully composing herself and making her voice much quieter. "So...how do we do this? Without Nebby, we can't just blast through them and get straight to Gladion...!" she asked.  
  
Moon smirked smugly, taking out one of her pokéballs. "We've all got fine warriors at our stead, don't we? Let's just trash the fuckin' place," she suggested. Guzma smirked and nodded, taking out one of his own pokéballs, "I'm startin' to like the way you think, kid." Lillie nodded, taking out a pokéball of her own as well. They all approached the corridors end again, everyone throwing out their pokéballs to release all their teams. And once they did, all hell completely broke loose.  
  
From the skies, Raichu and Noivern attacked with electrical bombs and ear-piercing screeches. Alongside them in the air was Guzma's Masquerain and Vikavolt. The Vikavolt also firing electrical attacks, while Masquerain shot beams of ice at the Nihilego. Lefeaon, Sylveon, and Espeon all stood against each other's backs in a circle to defend themselves, each firing off their special attacks to ward off the Nihilego surrounding them. Eventually, they combined their attacks to make them stronger.  
  
Leafen's Razor Leaf became more lethal as Sylveon's Fairy Wind carried it at speeds that were impossible to dodge. And Espeon's Psybeam melded with the Fairy Wind to make the wind itself far more damaging. Primarina put on a spectacle, using it's Sparkling Aria to damage the creatures with both it's high pitched singing and it's explosive water bombs. Golisopod was working alongside it to drown out their opponents. Inbetween blasting them with water, it punched away any other Nihilego with it's massive fists.  
  
Tauros, Stoutland, and Persian all dominated the ground areas. Tauros constantly stampeding into the Ultra Beasts and attacking them with full force using it's horns. Stoutland and Persian bit, scratched, and howled intimidatingly at their opponents to falter their defenses. Toxapex was hard at work, riding atop Tauros's back to spit out it's poisonous spikes in all directions and weaken any Nihilego unscathed by the Tauros's blows. It even switched between this, and spitting acidic purple liquid at them in droves. Lurantis and Tsareena were at each other's backs, optimizing each other to attack as they worked both with and around each other.  
  
Lurantis fired off as many deadly beams as it could using the artificial sunlight it's comrade Leafeon had manifested for it, while Tsareena made good work of it's legs, kicking hard at the Nihilego that approached them. Mimikyu and Crabrawler each rode on Incineroar's shoulders as it charged in head-first to burn and slash everything in it's path. The Mimikyu fired countless Shadow Balls to ward off unwanted Ultra Beasts that attacked from behind. Any that were not fazed enough by it received a hard punch from Crabrawler's sturdy fists.   
  
Incineroar eventually made use of it's move Darkiest Lariat, spinning around with it's arms stretched out as it seemed to light on fire. Mimikyu kept on firing it's Shadow Balls as they spun, hitting the Nihilego from all directions. Crabrawler jumped up off Incineroar's shoulder, hopping from Beast to Beast as he landed on their dome heads. Before moving to the next, it landed a hard punch directly on their bubbly heads. Eventually it returned to it's previous combo on Incineroar's shoulder when it had stopped spinning.  
  
Guzma's Pinsir worked on it's own, as did his Scizor. The Pinsir tore into every Nihilego from the head using sneak attacks, viciously tearing up their dome heads and causing them to bleed with extreme prejudice. Scizor, however, opted to fight head-on in a straight line. Much like Tsareena, it was able to throw punches and kicks that made for much more damaging blows on the Nihilego. And finally, Lillie's Clefable made use of the path all the others had clear up for it that lead straight to Gladion.   
  
It blasted an attack at the dome head of the Nihilego, which seemed to dislodge it's control temporarily before it wrapped it's tentacles around Gladion's arms and legs in a spiral to hold his limbs. It turned itself to face Clefable, all 3 children and Guzma creeping up behind Clefable to make themselves known to the theoretical "Head of the hive". It took everything within Clefable not to blast it's former master to Hell and back. But to their surprise, Gladion spoke.   
  
" _You_...you're not supposed to be here..."  
  
"Gladion, it's your friends. We're here to take you home!" Moon yelled.  
  
"Home...?"  
  
Despite having no irises to judge his expression, they could tell this word seemed to stir something in him. But only for a brief moment, before he gave a stern look. "G-Go... _home_. You can't be here. This is  _our_ home," he declared. It was clear now to all of them that it wasn't just Gladion talking. Some of him was still left behind, but it was clear the Nihilego itself was influencing his words. Lillie stepped forward, scowling hard at him, "No, it  _isn't_! You're just playing dress up, big brother! Playtime is  _over_!"  
  
"You think I believe that you even  _want_ me...?" Gladion spat in a low growl. Lillie's flare faltered at this. Hau knew that he had to say something. Maybe he could snap Gladion out of this. But he didn't get the chance as they noticed white orbs glowing in his hands. Static stretched along his fingers in a constant spiral and an endless cycle as his arms lifted up. But whether of his own volition or under the Nihilego's grip was anyone's guess. "You have to leave this place...i-it's- ...N-Not... _safe_...!" he struggled.  
  
Everyone's eyes widened as sharp rock shards lifted up behind him. He threw his arms forward, directing the shards not at Clefable, but directly at Moon, Lillie,  _and_ Guzma. Clefable cried out in disbelief, and Hau was able to jump back towards the corridor's entrance in time to dodge it. Everyone else was left injured, but not unconscious. Clefable growled angrily, it's rage starting to take over as it began to full-on assault Gladion with no real direction or strategy.  
  
It only managed to get in a few hits, some on Gladion and some on the Nihilego itself, before it was blasted flat onto it's back by another attack from the Ultra Beast. Gladion's brows move downward in a furrowed scowl as he growled at the Clefable. "Just stay  _down_ , Cleffy! I  _don't_ wanna have to do this again! A-Ack...!" His eyes were shut tight for a brief moment before opening again. His expression reset to being blank as his tone was a bit more calm yet sinister. "We will  _not_ be threatened by  _you_..."  
  
Clefable struggled, but managed to pull itself back up. Gladion winced at this. It was a mix of agitation and hesitance that his face held in doing so. But it quickly turned back into a stern scowl as he lifted his hands back up. "It's unfortunate that that's what you choose..." he threatened. Another bout of sharp shards came down, knocking Clefable out entirely as it send it flying towards the corridor's entrance at Hau's feet. Hau gasped, kneeling down to check on it. But it was of no use. Clefable was out cold.  
  
Gladion was left facing Lillie, Moon, and Guzma solely on their own now. All their pokémon were much too pre-occupied keeping the rest of the hive out of the way. Gladion seemed to be struggling to keep himself composed now more than ever. The dome of the Nihilego's head had a cut left by Clefable that bled slightly. He didn't seem tired, however. "Y-You  _see_ , now...? You cannot...win against us. Turn b-back...go  _home_!" He pushed his hands forward again, and a strong wind kicked up that knocked everyone onto the ground.  
  
They lay tiredly on the floor, struggling to pull themselves up again. Hau watched on in horror and distress from his hiding spot. He looked into Gladion's whitened eyes. And...he could almost swear he saw Gladion's face contort with... _guilt_? Gladion chewed his lower lip as he glared at them, "Stay... _down_...!" As he repeated these words, it became clear to Hau. As much as Gladion would throw punches at them, the Nihilego still couldn't delete his humanity. His sympathy. That part of him that remembered them.  
  
He scowled, and stood up, finally coming back out from the corridor to approach Gladion. Everyone noticed, and for a moment, Gladion's hands came back down. Hau could tell just seeing his face was already starting to have an affect on him. Hau only gave him a pitiful look in return. However, this expression quickly turned to surprise as Moon's yelling startled him. He turned to look at her as she addressed him. "Hau  _stop_! What're you doing?!" she snapped.   
  
"He's  _scared_! He  _needs_ us!"  
  
"No, Hau...that's  _not_ him!"  
  
He scowled at her and didn't even bat an eye as he said, "Then how come he hasn't killed you all yet?" Everyone was left shocked at the realization. So much so, none could think of a different logical explanation for it. Once again, Hau had hit the nail right on the head. He turned to look at Gladion again, who was just staring silently at him. It was clear that Gladion recognized them, but his memory was still faded. He knew he didn't want to hurt them. But he was confused. Hau slowly began approaching him.  
  
"Gladion...I don't know if you can hear anything I'm saying. But...if you can...you  _have_ to wake up."  
  
Gladion's expression became even more shocked at this. He was still struggling to remember who exactly these people were. He had faint memories, and very strong feelings to accompany them. But his feelings were most strong with this young boy. Why was that? Why did he feel so... _important_ to him? And that look in his eyes...why did it hurt him so much? He was twitching more and more with each step closer the boy took towards him. Trying to remember who he was.  
  
"I know you. You're stronger than this. You defied your mother and ran away from her because you wanted to  _be_ that strong! Don't you remember that?"  
  
Frustration rambled through his mind as he was unable to answer that. For some reason, he didn't have the heart to tell him the truth. That truth being that he didn't remember these things. What he did remember was the boy's kindness. But there was something else there that he wasn't getting. Something that was still... _missing_. But what was it? Hau only kept inching closer and closer, and it made Gladion's head hurt with the Nihilego's unease. It only got more painful the closer he came.  
  
"You told me all about it...do you even remember telling me? Do you remember  _me_?"  
  
"G...et... _BACK_...!" Gladion hissed, his hand glowing with another spark of a move to knock Hau down. But it didn't fire. It couldn't. Hau grabbed his hand and interlocked their fingers, closing the gap that allowed him any room to charge it. Gladion twitched, his blank, white eyes, seeming to stare off into nothingness. Hau didn't know what else to do but beg, "Gladion...this isn't you. You know where you belong. And it's not here.  _Please_...come home."  
  
Gladion gritted his teeth but his brows shuffled in an expression that told Hau he almost had it. He just needed one more push. He was scared, he was confused...but he still didn't remember. Without warning, Hau pressed his lips against Gladion's in a chaste and clumsy kiss that turned the boy's face completely red. With this kiss, and Hau's touch, it all came rushing back into Gladion's head at full throttle. The names that were at the edge of his tongue were now fresh in his mind. Hau pulled away after a full minute, and stared patiently at Gladion, hoping,  _waiting_ for him to say something.  
  
But he didn't speak. Tears ran down Gladion's face, causing Hau to gasp in surprise. Slowly, a pupil formed in his otherwise empty eyes and was staring right at Hau with fear yet familiarity. "H...Hau..." he whispered. Hau couldn't help but smile at his success. He had really done it. He brought Gladion back! "Gladion! Thank Arceus, it's  _you_." Gladion looked down, and noticed their intertwined fingers and Hau's stray hand caressing his face.  
  
He smiled a genuine and warm smile that nearly took Hau's breath away. He reached out his other hand to touch Hau, still seeming weak and hardly able to move, "Hau...I-" His face contorted into a grimace that cause Hau to draw back a bit in surprise. Gladion began to cry again, but when he opened his mouth to speak it was silenced by two stray tentacles. Hau felt him squeeze onto his hand tightly, as if desperately grasping to him, just before the Nihilego ripped them apart and darted upwards with the boy in it's unforgiving grasp.  
  
" _NO_!" Hau yelled, trying to chase the beast but being stopped by a ledge as the ground beneath him ended. There was no way to reach either of them. He could only watch helplessly once again as his boyfriend was whisked away. But suddenly, the creature stopped, and Hau began to cry as he was forced to watch Gladion struggle painfully against the creature's hold. Slowly...it forced itself to fuse together with him, and a flash of light temporarily blinded Hau and his comrades.  
  
The light faded, and when Hau looked up, it was something from one of his worst nightmares. Gladion's upper-half was still visible, but it was surrounded by the bubbly dome of the Nihilego's head. His hair seemed to melt into it's skin, now discolored in an ugly black with only traces of blonde hair left. His clothes had also changed, discolored in the same black with shades of purple mixed in between them. The creature around him had also changed shaped.  
  
It's tentacles now resembled the limbs of a Reuniclus with sharp claws and black balloon-like arms that twinkled ever so slightly with multi-colored diamonds. The limbs splayed out from the strange new pores that jutted from the dome of it's being. Gladion's eyes were closed, and if not for the disfigured change in his appearance Hau might have described his face as peaceful. Slowly, Gladion seemed to stir, and his eyes were no longer the emerald green that Hau was familiar with.  
  
They were now a sharp and bright yellow, and looked completely lifeless. For a moment, he observed himself curiously, before turning his gaze to his patient audience below him. Moon, Lillie, and Guzma had all risen back to their feet. The other Nihilego lay bloodied and broken on the floor. Everyone's pokémon were left injured, few unconscious. Those who were still awake stared on in disbelief. Gladion's eyes grew wide, and at first Hau thought he might still have been salvageable...but that died as soon as the first words left his lips.   
  
" _Leave_ this place. I don't want you here...I want to be  _alone_!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Presenting Brother Beast. Personally, I have the theory that only Nihilegos are capable of fusing with humans. But when they do, they amplify their darkest fears or strongest desires (Whichever they need) to convince them that they want to stay in Ultra Space. I think Nihilegos actually do require a Queen or "Head of the hive" of some kind and that's why originally they tried to take Lillie.  
> Poor little guys are a little confused and don't understand they snatched the wrong person ;w;


	54. Chapter 53 - One Step Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hau is faced with a new monstrous form of his beloved, Brother Beast, and is forced to battle him in order to try to convince him to come back home, as it seems the Nihilego's influence has scattered his head completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare your tissue boxes, kids. It's gonna be a rough one.

" _Leave_ this place. I don't want you here...I want to be  _alone_!"  
  
They could hardly believe what they were hearing. Much less what they were seeing. They couldn't tell  _who_ it was that was speaking to them anymore. He didn't look anything like their companion anymore. It was just some perversion of both humanity and pokémon alike. It was just... _wrong_! But most confusing of all was Gladion's words. Was he still even self aware? Had the Nihilego stripped the last bit of that out of him? They couldn't even tell if he recognized who they were anymore.  
  
Hau swallowed hard. Maybe there was still a chance to bring him back again. After all, he was still definitely  _somewhere_ in there. He just had to be, right? "Gladion, please. Come home! I miss you, we  _all_  do!" he shouted. At first, he wasn't sure if Gladion had heard him, but the older boy scowled back at him in response. The look made Hau flinch back in shock. Gladion had never looked at him with those eyes before. Sure, he had gotten angry or upset...but this look was purely devoid of care or remorse.  
  
They were just like Lusamine's eyes...  
  
"This  _is_ my home. And it's where I will stay forever! I don't want to go back to those damn islands...and I don't want any of you here, either! Just  _leave_!"  
  
Lillie was starting to lose her composure. All of this was taking a heavy toll on her. She stepped forward with tears in her eyes. "Why?! Why are you being so  _difficult_?!" she cried. He gave her a condescending look as he spat, "Are you  _really_ so naive, Lillie? I'm not  _safe_ there. Lusamine is  _still_ running a muck. But here, she can't  _touch_ me. Me, or  _any_ of the Beasts." Moon shook her head, stepping forward in front of Lillie to take the lead. "You're wrong, Gladion! It  _is_ safe! Your mother is arrested, she can't hurt you anymore!"  
  
"No! Nowhere she is is safe, no matter what! If there's even a  _chance_ she could still reach me...then I'll pass. I won't leave here,  _ever_. But  _you_ will!"  
  
"And why's  _that_?"  
  
"I want to be  _alone_! I don't want any of you here! Just go away!"  
  
"You're acting like a spoiled  _brat_ , you know that?!"  
  
"I don't care! Leave me  _alone_!"  
  
Moon growled and was about to give him a piece of her mind when Hau held up his hand to signal her to stop. They were all a little off-put by this, but Moon obeyed. Hau wasn't looking at him with pity or sorrow anymore. Just anger. He was fed up. Fed up with everyone always taking advantage of the older boy. Of his fears. Fed up with the fear itself, long since an obstacle that he once thought impossible to break through. But not anymore. Still, this creature had somehow deleted that part of Gladion. That part that wanted to overcome it.  
  
He had to show the older boy that he was wrong once and for all. And there was only one way he was going to do that. He glanced behind him to check on his pokémon. All of them had managed to survive the slaughter and stay up. In fact, most of them came out with only a scuff or two, and the adrenaline was stronger than ever. Much to everyone's surprise yet again, he called back all of them and turned his attention back to Gladion. The older boy was sure he had given up, but he was proven dead wrong as Hau spoke to him.  
  
"Fine...you wanna do this the hard way?  _Make_ me leave, Gladion. If you really don't want me here then toss me out  _yourself_!"  
  
For a moment, Gladion's glare seemed to falter. His voice lowered dramatically as he spoke with a calm yet conflicted tone. "...Go home, Hau. I don't want to fight you." Hau growled at this. He raised his voice as he began to crack with rage. "FIGHT ME! I'm not leaving until you do! You don't  _get_ to act like you care about me if you'd really rather be  _alone_! Either make me leave or come home!" Gladion winced at this. His irritation slowly melded back into his face as he growled back.  
  
"Fine, Hau. You have only yourself to blame!"  
  
Everyone stared on in disbelief as one of the tentacles Gladion appeared to control lifted up a pokéball. That's when they noticed he didn't have his satchel bag anymore. Moon looked around, finding it in a random nest-like hole in one of the walls of the hive. She looked through it, finding that all of Gladion's pokéballs were gone, including his Luxury Ball. They looked up at him again. He floated backwards, which confused everyone until they located a piece of rock that seemed to float motionlessly in the ether.  
  
Hau called out his Noivern, hopping onto it's back to follow Gladion. Once they reached their destination, he called it back. They were stood several feet apart from each other now. Hau's comrades all had a bird's eye view of their squabble as they all called back their fallen pokémon and treated the wounds of those still standing. Hau took out a pokéball of his own. Neither of the boys moved for a long time. They just stared at each other. The others began to wonder if perhaps they were reconsidering.  
  
"...I won't let anyone get in my way. I won't go back!"  
  
"You don't get to decide that on your own anymore, Gladion..."  
  
Both boys tossed their pokéballs out to call out their pokémon. On the field appeared a Raichu and a Crobat, both of them landing in the skies rather than the hard ground. Hau raised a brow at Gladion's admittedly curious choice. Perhaps the Nihilego had affected his memory a bit more than he thought. Still, that would only make this easier. "Raichu, use Psychic!" Raichu focused it's mind entirely on the Crobat, sending a strong telekinetic wave into it's brain to give it a splitting headache.  
  
But nothing appeared to happen as the Crobat was unfazed by the attack. Hau blinked in confusion. "How is that possible?!" he gasped. "Crobat, Night Slash!" Hau raised a brow at this.  _Night Slash...? His Crobat doesn't know that move_ he thought. Suddenly, he realized what was going on. But he acted too late as he cried out to his Raichu. "R-Raichu, dodge it!" Crobat slashed into Raichu with it's wings, damaging it severely as it was knocked backwards.  
  
"R-Rai...?!"  
  
"Cro!"  
  
Hau bit his lower lip.  _I can't risk using Raichu right now, I'll have to use someone else_ he thought. He pulled Raichu's pokéball back out of his pocket. "Raichu, return!" he commanded. Raichu was swept up in a light that shot from the ball before disappearing as it snapped shut. "Crabrawler, it's your turn!" he cried, tossing out his Dive Ball to call out his Crabrawler. Gladion growled in irritation. "So you figured out my little secret, huh...?" he hissed.  
  
"You forget I know you inside out..."  
  
"You don't know  _anything_..."  
  
Hau resisted the urge to snap at this jab. He had to focus. He pointed towards the "Crobat" and issued his first order to Crabrawler. "Crabrawler, knock it out of it's skin with Dynamic Punch!" Crabrawler rushed forward, landing a hard hit square on the Crobat's jaw that knocked it out of the air. As Hau predicted, it's form suddenly changed upon landing from the impact. It revealed itself for what it truly was; Zoroark. But this wasn't what caused both Hau and his pokémon to become frozen with shock.  
  
It's... _eyes_...  
  
They were the same glowing and hateful amber that plagued over the older boy's once emerald irises. And it looked to be seething with some sort of blackish purple aura. It had no expression. No emotion on it's face. It was akin to a puppet, much like Gladion had been not too long ago now. It was as if Gladion's own fear and hatred had been extended upon them. There was no familiarity on Zoroark's face. Only nothingness. It was significantly bruised up from the blow Crabrawler had landed on it.  
  
The only thing they could make out was the clear struggle to focus on it's target. After all, the punch itself had inflicted a side effect of confusion onto it. "Fury Swipes!" Gladion commanded. Zoroark darted forward, slashing at Crabrawler 3 times before jumping back. The crab was able to dodge every hit easily with the Zoroark's inability to focus aiding in it's escape. The Crabrawler retaliated upon command from it's trainer with yet another Dynamic Punch to Zoroark's face once the onslaught had ceased.  
  
Zoroark landed hard on the ground floor. At first, everyone was certain it was down for the count, but to their surprise, it pulled itself back up slowly. There was still no emotion in it's face, nothing in it's eyes that told Hau who this pokémon once was. It made him wince. A part of him begged it to just stay down. He wanted to teach Gladion a lesson, but he took no pleasure in doing so at the expense of his companions. The young boy was curious however, to this pokémon having a will to get back up.  
  
Was Gladion's hatred that strong that it could make his pokémon stronger-willed? No...he didn't believe that at all. They were just confused. "A...ark..." it grunted. Hau raised a brow curiously at it. He couldn't understand anything it said, but he was intrigued to it suddenly talking. Gladion seemed perturbed by whatever it was, though. Moon turned to Rotom for answers immediately. "Rotom, did you hear what it said?" she whispered. Rotom nodded, giving a solemn look.  
  
"It said...'Father'."  
  
Hau didn't fail to notice when Gladion's face had turned disturbed. Was it his fusion with the Nihilego that allowed him to understand what it said? He didn't know how else to explain it. Zoroark continued groaning in it's tongue, and with every word it seemed Gladion cracked more and more. "A-Ark...Zoro, zoro zor. Zoro ark ar zor zor, zoro zo." Rotom kept on translating for Moon, and by extension, Lillie and Guzma. Hau, being unable to hear Rotom's translation, was only left to guess.   
  
"It's te-e-elling him it that it's grateful that it- Zzt! -met him. And tha-a-at it under-r-rstands his pain and wants to stay with him."  
  
Gladion's eyes darkened. He shook his head. "I know...we'll all be safe together here." He looked up at Hau again, who was staring in bewilderment. He held up one of his tentacles, and Hau could almost swear he saw a tear in one of his eyes. "All of us...thanks to your  _sacrifice_." Zoroark nodded, and Hau's eyes widened as Gladion called out his next order. " _Foul Play_..." he hissed. Hau almost hesitated to do what he knew needed to be done. He winced, closing his eyes for a brief moment as he looked away.  
  
"...Take it out with Dynamic Punch."  
  
The two pokémon collided, but in the end, Crabrawler's move was much more powerful. Zoroark was knocked flat into the floor. Just before it fell unconscious, the aura dissipated and it's eyes reverted back to normal. It looked up at Gladion, disoriented and confused. It uttered one last "Ark...?" before falling unconscious from it's depleted energy. Hau's restraints were already starting to tear at the seams. They were only broken when Gladion called it back with cold, uncaring eyes as he said...  
  
"You were worthy, Zoroark..."  
  
Hau growled angrily at this. "How can you talk about him like that?! You  _raised_ him!" Gladion only glared back with unsympathetic eyes. "You're the one doing this to them, Hau.  _Don't_ try to pin the blame on  _me_..." he hissed. He tossed out yet another pokéball. This time, it was his real Crobat. It screeched menacingly upon entry. It too had yellowed eyes and a dark aura infecting it's skin. Crabrawler sweat a bit, nerved by the advantage it's opponent now had over it.  
  
"Crobat, cut that Crabrawler down with Air Slash!" Gladion bellowed. Crobat obeyed, slicing into the air with it's wings and sending shock waves towards Crabrawler. "Dodge, then use Dizzy Punch!" Crabrawler managed to dodge the first shock wave, but was knock down by the second. The blow left it severely damaged, and half it's energy had been depleted. It pulled itself back up without much struggle however, as it continued to attempt to carry out it's order. "Poison Fang!" Gladion shouted.  
  
Crobat dodged Crabrawler's punch, and sunk it's teeth into it's hard skin. It seemed to bite at a sensitive spot, which drove the Crabrawler into a seething rage as a bright red aura consumed it's body for a brief moment before dissipating. However, it was still left poisoned as the Crobat's fangs injected venom into it's system. Hau narrowed his eyes at Gladion. "You shouldn't have done that, Gladion. You just made my Crabrawler all that much more powerful!" he chided.  
  
"Crabrawler, use Crabhammer!"  
  
One of Crabrawler's fist-like pincers began to glow with red energy as it prepared to charge forward and hit the Crobat with full force. Gladion smirked maliciously. The look sent chills down Hau's spine. It made him sick to compare it to Lusamine's own terrifying grin. "Deplete his power with Haze..." Gladion ordered calmly. Crobat heaved a heavy puff of black smoke-like breath that covered the surrounding area, including Crabrawler itself. Crabrawler's rage suddenly faded, and the adrenaline rush left it's body just before the hit landed.  
  
It was barely a scuff on the Crobat now. Crabrawler was left confused by the time it landed on the ground again. The black mist had dissipated by that point. It looked around, almost disoriented by the strangeness of the counter. It was briefly distracted as it flinched from the pain of the venom in it's veins. Hau had only realized by the time the smoke had faded what Gladion had done. "Crabrawler, your boost! It's..." he muttered. Gladion's smirk hadn't faded as he began mocking Hau. "You said it yourself, Hau...it goes both ways, you know~ I know your tricks by now..."  
  
Hau winced again. Gladion burst out into a mad chuckle that was a bastardization of the laugh Hau had fallen in love with. "Crobat, finish off that  _pathetic_ crab with your Air Slash~!" Hau acted fast, he had to focus on countering. "Crabrawler! Focus Punch!" The hit landed successfully, however, it didn't do much damage. However, it caused the Crobat to flinch in the midst of it's move to compensate for this. Both Hau  _and_ Gladion were surprised by this, both full-well knowing Crobat's ability kept it from flinching at anything.  
  
"It's...not immune to Focus Punch?"  
  
"... _Dammit_...!"  
  
Crabrawler flinched again, coughing as it's blue and paling face only got more sickly. Hau began to sweat nervously.  _Dammit...I have to hurry up before Crabrawler passes out. I used up the last of my healing items in Po Town...!_ he thought. He decided to exploit his newfound trump card, and repeated his previous order. "Focus Punch, again!" Gladion growled in response of this, "AIR SLASH!!!" Once again, the Crobat flinched and failed to carry out it's order as Crabrawler punched it.  
  
It coughed when it hit the floor again. It's breathing was heavy and labored now, and the pain in it's body was becoming unbearable. It's next move would be it's last. Gladion didn't catch onto this, too enraged that Hau had found an annoying loophole to take down his Crobat. Hau knew that wouldn't count for much for very long. After all, Crabrawler was on it's last bits of energy. Hesitantly, he repeated the attack one more time, and Gladion followed suit.  
  
"Focus Punch!"  
  
"Air Slash!"  
  
Crabrawler's hit never landed. The first shock wave hit it before it could even lift up it's arm. And in the same token, the first shock wave had been the killing blow. Crabrawler's eyes were swirled with defeat as it was no longer able to stand itself up. Crobat had defeated it. Hau bit his lower lip, calling back the Crabrawler apprehensively. Gladion seemed slightly surprised at first that he had managed to knock it out, but he quickly placed it aside. As Hau looked into Crobat's dead eyes yet again, he pondered something.  
  
He reached into his backpack for another one of his pokéballs. A Dusk Ball. He threw it into the air, calling out a familiar face to Crobat. It's mate; Noivern. As soon as it emerged, it was disoriented by Crobat's blank and unrecognizable state. What had become of it so suddenly? The Crobat's eye twitched as it sweat a bit. Gladion's own eye twitched in mimick of the action. Perhaps he had felt the hesitation. Or was it perhaps a sense of familiarity? Gladion growled angrily either way.  
  
"Do you  _really_ think trying to gauge a reaction out of my pokémon is going to do you any good?"  
  
"Why don't you let  _them_ decide that for once?"  
  
"Not gonna happen...Crobat, don't be distracted! They are our enemies! Poison it with your Poison Fang!"  
  
Crobat shook it's head to snap out of it, and darted towards Noivern with it's fangs bared. "Agility!" Hau ordered. Noivern lightened it's body, relaxing it's muscles and moving at an incredible speed to dodge the Crobat's bite. "Haze!" Gladion shouted. Once again, Crobat secreted the black smoke from it's mouth and negated Noivern's newfound speed. Hau grunted low in annoyance. He had to find some way to keep Gladion from constantly resetting his Noivern's stats.  
  
That's when he remembered.  
  
"Noivern, Supersonic!"  
  
Noivern let out an ear-splitting screech that rattled the Crobat's mind. It began flapping about wildly, trying to focus on it's surroundings and failing. It was completely disoriented and unable to make up from down. The confusion itself also seemed to toil with the overwhelming emotion that wrought it's brain as well. Though, why this effect was happening with it and it hadn't occurred with Zoroark was anyone's guess. But the Noivern was sure it was it's close connection that helped to achieve this effect.  
  
It was incredibly hesitant to fight it's mate like this. After all, this was nothing like training. It wasn't even a clash between 2 strong trainers trying to give it their all to prove who was the best. This was just a needless bloodbath. Still, it had it's duty to Hau. Gladion growled again, "Kh...your parlor tricks aren't going to get you through this, you fool. Attack me!" Just like Noivern, Hau was hesitant to put Crobat through this. And despite how aggravating it was, Gladion was right. He couldn't teeter on the sidelines forever.  
  
"Noivern, use Agility!" Hau ordered. Noivern increased it's speed again, and once again Gladion attempted to stamp this out. "Haze!" But it was no use, the Crobat was too disoriented. It smacked itself in the face without intending to as it flailed about wildly. "Now, use Air Slash!" Hau called out. Noivern hesitated, and that hesitation proved to be detrimental as Gladion took advantage of it. "Crobat, focus! Use Poison Fang!" Crobat shook it's head, somehow managing to focus on Noivern.  
  
Just as the Noivern began carrying out it's attack, Crobat sunk it's teeth into it's neck. Noivern screeched in pain, flailing about and quickly knocking the Crobat off before it could be poisoned. Still, the damage had been done. The Crobat seemed to become agitated by the conflict swarming in it's head. Much to both Hau and Gladion's surprise, they no longer obeyed their trainer's orders as they both began biting and kicking each other in the skies. They flew around each other, sometimes going higher and sometimes pushing each other back down again.  
  
Noivern was screeching at Crobat left and right, trying to increase it's speed. But it was no use, as the Crobat's rage allowed it to maintain focus through any confusion inflicted upon it. It continuously spat out it's Haze at Noivern to keep it slowed down. Crobat bit into it's mate again, this time managing to inject it's poison into it before being lodged off. Noivern's face went purple and it flinched in pain as the venom began coursing through it. They continued their aerial dance of death, Noivern slowly but surely losing energy from the poison.  
  
Moon began to sweat nervously at this behavior. She couldn't help but wonder what they were trying to accomplish. Lillie was confused by it as well. Were they not supposed to be mates? Why did they opt to fight each other like this? Even  _if_ Crobat didn't appear to be acting like itself. Rotom cried out in intrigue as he observed it. "The-e-ey're settling things i-i-in their own traditional style! Zzt!" Moon raised a brow at him. "What does  _that_ mean?" she asked. Rotom glanced at her as he answered.  
  
"It is typical of ma-a-ated pokémon to disobey their trainers when- Zzt! -battling each other. It has been a worldwide studied phenom-m-menon, dubbed as the 'Lover's Quarrel'. Zzt! It seems the-e-eir combined senses of pride and passion drive them to  _ignore_ their trainers and instead fight each other on their  _own_ terms."  
  
"So you're saying...they don't want the boys to interfere?"  
  
"Co-o-orrect! Zzt!"  
  
They continued observing the spectacle, utterly baffled by it.  
  
Eventually, Noivern refused confrontation with it's mate. It was growing tired, and opted to try to talk it out of this before it was too late. But Crobat merely tackled it, spiraling them  _both_ back down towards the ground. Noivern held it away with it's foot as best as it could manage, but the Crobat still violently attempted to bite at it over and over again. Noivern kept screeching at it to communicate with it, to wake it up. But nothing seemed to work. Before anyone knew it, they had hit the ground in a loud crash.  
  
When the dust had settled, all that was left were the two mated pokémon lying in a heap ontop of each other. Their energies had been utterly exhausted by one another. Crobat's eyes reverted back to normal as it stared at it's mate sorrowfully. Tears came to it's eyes, before it passed out, unable to keep itself awake any longer. Noivern was weak, but used it's last ounce of strength to lay one of it's massive wings over Crobat's resting body for warmth. The sight had nearly broken Hau as tears pricked at his own eyes.  
  
"No...Noivern..."  
  
"They tore each other to pieces..."  
  
Even the older boy was perturbed by the sudden flagrant disobedience by his pokémon. Yet, the end result didn't seem unfavorable to him as he called back his Crobat. Hau did the same, calling back his Noivern shakily. He wiped his tears from his face, shaking his his and trying to get a grip of himself. He couldn't falter now. Once again, they simultaneously reached for their next pokémon. And it was almost by prophecy itself, what happened to appear, opposing each other on the battle field.  
  
Gladion's Umbreon, faced against it's brother, Hau's Leafeon. It's eyes were coated with the same amber, just like the others. The dark aura that enveloped it also seemed to make it much stronger. Leafeon's ears folded back in hesitance. It didn't want to fight it's brother. Not even with all their differences. Gladion was the first to make a move, "Umbreon, use Swift!" An array of dark colored stars were fired at Leafeon. Without needing to be told by it's master, it tried it's best to dodge the attack. But it was left panicked and distraught by the situation.   
  
It was hit by 1 or 2 stars, even in it's best efforts to avoid them. Hau tried to ease it along, wanting to keep it focused. "Leafeon, use Sunny Day to strengthen your attacks!" Leafeon nodded, letting out a loud crying howl to the empty, voided skies as a bright star began to form in the sky. It shone almost as brightly as the sun. The heat from it's rays rejuvenated Leafeon, as it felt power coursing through it's body. It smiled innocently, almost forgetting for a second where it even was.  
  
It's ability even made it feel lighter on it's toes, increasing it's speed 3 fold. It felt ready for action. Hau smiled at it, "Alright! Now use Leaf Blade!" Leafeon cried out again as it formed a large grassy sword that glowed green with power. It held the hilt with it's ear, and dashed towards Umbreon. The hit landed perfectly, sending Umbreon flying back towards it's master's feet. However, after the hit landed, Leafeon took in the damage it had done to it's brother. As the sword in it's grasp disappeared it whimpered apologetically.  
  
Umbreon pulled itself back up with a bit of a struggle. The sun's rays had boosted the power of the move far too much, and Umbreon wasn't able to move out of the way with Leafeon's newfound speed boost behind it as well. "Swift! Again!" Gladion ordered. "Leafeon, counter it with your own Swift!" Leafeon took a step back, hesitating as it gave Hau an apprehensive look. It was too afraid to hurt it's brother. Why were they even fighting? Why did it's brother's eyes look so funny?  
  
Hau gave him a sympathetic look. This was the last place he wanted to be either. Fighting his loved one like this. The same boy he had been spending every waking moment falling more and more in love with with each passing second. He didn't want to fight this fight. He didn't want to hurt these pokémon. He didn't want to hear Gladion taunting him like this. In the same token, his pokémon didn't have their hearts in this fight either. Many of them had too many reasons to not hurt their friends.  
  
He understood that perfectly. And with each passing move that was made, it seemed Gladion was further and further away from him. How had nothing been working yet? Was it really impossible to get to him this way? He shook his head. He couldn't be doubting himself right now. Leafeon didn't need that. It needed reassurance. "I-I know...I know. Just, don't let yourself get hurt," he sighed. Leafeon nodded, still charging it's own attack but clearly withholding a lot of power from it.  
  
The stars collided with each other in several explosions of green and black. The dust blinded Leafeon temporarily, and it wasn't able to notice when Umbreon came at it from the other side and tackled it. It rolled across the ground, landing in a tired heap by Hau's feet. It hesitated to pull itself up. It's ears were still folded back, apprehensive and hesitant to even  _look_ at it's brother. "Leafe..." it whimpered. Gladion rolled his eyes, "So pathetic...even with that upgrade you gave it, it's helpless."  
  
"Shut  _up_...!"  
  
"Oh, did I strike a nerve?"  
  
" _Stop it_! Stop  _talking_ like this! This isn't you!"  
  
"No, this  _is_ me. Whoever it is that you became fond of was a hoax."  
  
"You expect me to believe that, Gladion...? After everything we've been through?"  
  
"...I don't want you here. I don't want you near me...! It's not safe...it's not safe for anyone."  
  
"S-So...you're just going to push me away again...?!" Hau began to weep.  
  
Leafeon and Umbreon both felt the emotions of their trainers. Umbreon's focus was starting to falter as it seemed Gladion's head was swimming with all sorts of doubts and fears. "Leave me alone...leave me  _alone_!" he screeched, suddenly. Umbreon became temporarily enraged as a result, and began attacking Leafeon relentlessly. Leafeon refused to fight back, and while it attempted to avoid the attacks, it was unsuccessful, even with it's speed. Hau was beginning to lose his composure again.  
  
Eventually, Leafeon was left sprawled on the ground again. The star it had created faded into nothingness and the light died off. It's speed boost and it's power boost were all gone now. Leafeon was clearly still able to pull itself up, but it didn't even try. This seemed to set Umbreon off, and it began barking angrily at Leafeon. "BRE! BRE, BREON BRE! UMBRE! UMBREON BRE BRE, EON BRE!" As it rambled off, Rotom once again acted as the translator for the girls and Guzma.  
  
"It's sco-o-olding Leafeon for holdi-i-ing back. And challenging it- Zzt! -to stand back up. It wants Leafeon to fight it!"  
  
"I don't understand..." Moon muttered.  
  
"'Do-o-on't hold back on me-e-e,- Zzt! -You're just insulting me!'"  
  
Lillie recognized this resolve all-too-well. She hung her head solemnly. "It feels like Leafeon is making it out to be a fool. It wants a real fight, one where they're both giving it their all. Umbreon knows that Leafeon can do better than this." Sylveon and Espeon watched in intrigue, their tails and Sylveon's ribbons swaying apprehensively. Despite this, Leafeon still seemed unwilling to get up. Umbreon growled lowly in anger and annoyance, continuing to spout of it's lecture at it.  
  
"There's no point, Umbreon...let it suffer if it wants to suffer~" Gladion gave a psychotic smile again. "Finish it off, already. This is pointless...use Last Resort," he commanded. Umbreon nodded, manifesting a single, large star that was black with the darkness of shadows. It twirled in circles as it grew larger and larger. Eventually, when it was finished growing, Umbreon looked down on it's brother with an empty expression. Just before it fired it's attack, it's eye twitched, causing Gladion's to do so in turn.  
  
The attack render Leafeon horribly injured, and predictably, knock it unconscious almost instantaneously. Hau was frozen and silent with shock. The longer this went on, the more shaken he became. Shakily, he called back Leafeon to let it rest. Moon, Lillie, and Guzma were all starting to feel sick to their stomachs at this point. How could this be the same Gladion they all knew by now? Especially for Lillie, this was all too surreal. Even their pokémon were all disturbed by the spectacle they were watching.  
  
Gladion's smile faded as he gave Hau a psychotic glare. "Do you get it yet? You  _can't_ beat me." Hau winced at this, "No, but that wasn't my goal anyways." Gladion narrowed his eyes at him, silently beckoning him to elaborate. And he did, "I'm taking you home...whether you wanna come or  _not_. So even if I lose...that  _won't_ stop me. I still  _won't_ stop trying to bring you back." Gladion closed his eyes, letting out a deep sigh. It was almost as if he pitied Hau. "That's truly a shame, Hau..."  
  
Hau wiped away his own tears again as he threw out another pokéball. This time calling for his trusted companion, "Raichu, time to get back into the fray!" Raichu soared into the air atop it's tail, it's cheeks sparking excitedly. It still retained it's earlier injuries, but it seemed ready for it's next opponent. With this, the boys were put on equal footing yet again. "Raichu, Double Team!" Hau commanded right off the bat. Raichu began producing illusions of itself all over the battlefield to confuse the Umbreon, allowing it to more easily evade it's attacks.  
  
"Umbreon, use your Swift to clear out the fakes!" Gladion ordered. Umbreon once again manifested an array of stars, firing them off to dissipate as many of the Raichu copies as it could. Unfortunately, none of them manage to hit the original. "Now, use Thunder!" Raichu's entire body glowed with electricity as a stray beam of electrical current fired off into the Umbreon, frying it completely. The Umbreon stumbled backwards, swaying around and struggling to stand up. Somehow, it managed to endure the blow.  
  
"Last Resort!"  
  
Umbreon began preparing it's attack, mustering up every last bit of energy it could for it's next blow. But Hau didn't give it the chance. He tapped a crystal on his Z-Ring that lit up the Raichu with a bright aura, differentiating it from the fakes. Gladion's eyes widened as he recognized the method of attack. Hau glared at him, "Do you remember when you gave this to me, Gladion?" Gladion's emotions began to stir again as he did recall that night. It was the first time he realized he enjoyed Hau's company.  
  
The first time he relished in the kind way he treated him. That was one of the few nights that he dreamed peacefully, for once. His eyes narrowed at Hau, but he didn't answer. He merely watched as Hau carried out the maneuver for the attack, moving with an electric spark about him. Once the dance had finished, his Raichu was radiating entirely with electric energy. It flew high up into the skies, teeming with electric power. As Hau pointed towards Raichu's target, he shouted out the attack loud enough for everyone to hear.  
  
 ** _"STOKED SPARKSURFER!!!"  
  
_** Raichu crashed into Umbreon before it could fire it's attack. It wasn't able to dodge either, it had no hope with how weak it was. It felt a powerful surge of lighting course through it as the battlefield exploded in yellow electrical currents of light upon impact. From the other side of it, the Raichu sailed out of the explosion, care-free. It returned to it's master's side swiftly, sticking it's tongue out at it's opponent mockingly. Umbreon fell over, completely exhausted and unable to battle anymore.  
  
It's eyes returned to it's normal shade of red, but all it's eyes reflected rather than confusion was remorse. It fainted, and Gladion swiftly called it back after grunting in irritation. He tossed out his Great Ball, calling out his Lycanroc to the battle field. Even it's deranged and blood red eyes were sullied now with the same amber that infected Gladion's  _other_ pokémon. It didn't have it's usual cocky, snide, and toothy grin anymore. Just like everyone else, it had no emotion left in it's face.  
  
"Scary Face!" Gladion commanded. Lycanroc contorted it's face in such a manner that it startled the Raichu. It began swaying much more slowly, feeling nearly frozen with terror. Hau knew he had to make sure the Lycanroc had no chance of hitting Raichu. "R-Raichu, Double Team, again!" Raichu nodded, manifesting yet another set of copies to distract the werewolf pokémon. But it seemed Gladion wasn't interested in attempting an attack just yet. "Howl!" he commanded.   
  
Lycanroc let out a chilling howl as a red aura enveloped it. Hau narrowed his eyes at Gladion. He knew he was preparing for some kind of attack...but what was it? He shrugged it off and continued to focus. Whatever it was, if he just raised Raichu's evasiveness, the power behind the attack wouldn't matter. "Double Team, again!" Another set of doppelganger Raichus littered the field. But yet again, Gladion ignored this. "Howl, again!" Hau was starting to get nervous now, but he wouldn't back down.  
  
"Double Team!"  
  
"Howl!"  
  
Even Rotom was becoming anxious with the constant back and forth between the boys. They were all left wondering what it was that Gladion was so desperately preparing for. Was he relying on blind luck  _that_ much? They all seriously doubted it. Hau as well. He was growing more nervous with every repeat of the same boosting move over and over. Was he just trying to trip him up? Make him nervous? He couldn't let this get to him. Not now.  
  
Everyone's eyes widened as they noticed a bright sheen come from his dome bubble. Only Hau could tell what it was as it floated in the black inky substance that was layered inside. It was a Z-Crystal. The very same one he had given to Gladion. And it was glowing. Lycanroc felt power coursing through it as it growled with adrenaline. Even with Gladion's restrained movement in his new form, he was able to mimic the maneuver needed to transfer the full power of the crystal to his pokémon.  
  
A large shard of rock, almost like a tower began rising out of the ground and lifting Lycanroc into the air. They all could've sworn they had caught a glimpse of a full moon in the sky for a split second as it howled again. Other bits of smaller, but sharp shards of rock rose out of the ground. Lycanroc jumped up into the air, snarling down at the Raichu as the shards flipped over to target it's opponent. Raichu and Hau both quickly noticed every single shared was aimed for a Raichu on the field, including the original.  
  
Gladion extended one of his long tentacle arms, and pointed to the Raichu.  
  
 ** _"SPLINTERED STORMSHARDS!!!"  
  
_** The shards all mercilessly tore into every last Raichu, including the original as Lycanroc dived down. Once every fake was dispelled, it targeted Raichu and slammed into it at full-force. The attack left Raichu severely injured, and once it had concluded, the rock tower crumbled to the ground. Hau recognized it from the mess in front of the motel room.  _He's...used this before. At the motel...!_ he thought. He looked to Gladion nervously looking into his eyes to find any trace of his boyfriend.  
  
 _How did he learn how to use it...?  
  
_ Lillie was awestruck by the spectacle. She had never seen anything like this before. Her eyes sparkled in child-like wonder. "Wooow...what is this power?" she gawked. Guzma stared as well, his face slowly darkening in disdain at the sight. "It's called a Z-Move, sweetheart. It's a real powerful ability a pokémon and trainer perform together using these things made by the Tapus called Z-Crystals." Lillie blinked at him curiously and Moon nodded. "That's what our island trials are for. To collect them."  
  
"Even my  _brother_ has learned to wield this power...?"  
  
Guzma gave her a pitiful look, grabbing her shoulder gently, "Hey, sweetie...those Z-Crystals don't make you stronger. The work you put in with your pokémon make you stronger."  
  
"Guzma..."  
  
He looked up at the boys again, "I ain't ever cared for 'em, so I may be biased. But don't sell yerself short. You don't need a Z-Crystal to be a good trainer, and yer brother certainly don't outshine ya just cause he's got one."  
  
Lillie nodded, "...Thank you, Guzma."  
  
Once they had all returned to keeping their eyes on the boys, they found that Hau still hadn't called back his Raichu. He seemed frozen in shock. Gladion smirked bemusingly, "What's the matter, mon cher~? You look like you've seen a  _ghost_." Hau scowled, the pet name sounding like poison coming from him now. " _Don't_ call me that. You haven't earned it yet." Gladion's smirk fell and he just shot Hau a dirty look. Still, he awaited for Hau to ask the obvious anyways.  
  
"How did you learn how to do that? You told me you didn't know anything  _about_ that crystal!"  
  
"Simple. I asked Burnet for some advice when I called her. She was a lot more useful than  _you_ were."  
  
" _Don't_ start that, Gladion."  
  
"Don't start  _what_ , Hau? You've failed me time and time again. When I trusted you to keep me safe, you  _abandoned_ me! You left the island to go poke your nose around in a business I warned you to stay  _out_ of! You lectured  _me_ about being reckless, when you left me no  _choice_ but to assume the worst! Then you just did it all over again when you left me at the motel!"  
  
"You  _asked_ me to leave you there. I would've  _rathered_ you have come with me, but-"  
  
"Don't make excuses."  
  
Hau snapped, "THEN STOP  _LYING_!!! I would  _never_ try to hurt you on purpose. That's a  _lie_!"  
  
"When I needed you most, you weren't even there to save me like I believed you would. By the time you came to rescue me I was already tortured by Lusamine. But then you went ahead and botched up my rescue too..."  
  
" _Don't_...you  _don't_ want to go down that road, Gladion."  
  
"But I suppose I should thank you, really. I've realized now that I can only be safe here, with theses Beasts. So thank you, Hau...for letting me down at the right moment."  
  
"THAT'S ENOUGH!!!"  
  
Hau called back his fainted Raichu, tossing out another pokéball that release his Tauros into the field. Everyone could see he was starting to lose it, even from afar. His face was contorted with despair and anger all at once. It hurt him more than anything to hear his beloved hate him this way. To blame him for everything. It was like his worst nightmare. This wasn't the Gladion he remembered. Gladion would get mad sometimes, but he thought they had passed over things like that by now.  
  
He was sweet, and gentle. Sometimes he even tried to take the blame, even when it wasn't his fault. He was always clinging to Hau for protection, and Hau would always oblige that need. He  _wanted_ to protect him. After all that Lusamine had put him through, he  _deserved_ to be happy. He deserved to feel safe and loved. Hau wanted to give that to him. And he always did, as much as he could, as best he could. It certainly wasn't easy, and they had a lot ahead of them.  
  
But in this moment, he wanted to love Gladion the same way Gladion loved  _him_.  
  
That's when it hit Hau. The way Gladion was acting, speaking. The psychotic looks he gave Hau and the un-nerving laughter. Everything, from the appearance, to his voice, to his actions was all  _wrong_. It all was the complete  _opposite_ of the Gladion he had come to know. Fear and anger drove his motivation now. Despite fully remembering what they had been through together, what they meant to each other, it seemed he had gone back to square one. To the very first day they had met.  
  
There had to be a reason for all this. And as he contemplated it more and more in his head, he realized it. He didn't let this show, as he gave Tauros it's order and kept up his broken facade. "Tauros, use Zen Headbutt!" he commanded. As Tauros scrapped it's hoof, ready to charge it's horns into Lycanroc, Gladion gave out his next order as well. "Block it with Stone Edge!" Lycanroc punched the ground with great force, causing several rocks to jut out from it and erupt upwards in a straight line towards Tauros.  
  
But Tauros didn't let this stop it. It charged forward, breaking through the rock formations and slamming into Lycanroc's chest and knocking it up into the air. Tauros huffed, blowing smoke out of it's nose. Lycanroc sweat slightly, as it's power surge depleted slightly. "Crunch it!" Gladion shouted. Lycanroc quickly dove down, sinking it's teeth deep into the Tauros's flesh. Tauros panicked, kicking it's back legs wildly to try to fling it off. Hau noticed a few stray pillars of rock still scattered about and cried out to his pokémon.  
  
"Tauros! Use the Stone Edge pillars to knock it off of you!"  
  
Tauros heard this request, and quickly made use of the pillars, smashing Lycanroc into them until it let loose on it. Once again, the Tauros huffed in anger. Lycanroc was huffing labored breaths now. It was struggling to keep one of it's eyes open as it growled at it's opponent. They circled each other, Tauros huffing and Lycanroc snapping it's jaws at it's opponent every few seconds. The boys were keeping a close eye on each other now. Neither one was going to allow for any surprises or rug pulls.  
  
"Zen Headbutt!"  
  
"Stone Edge!"  
  
Tauros smashed it's way through the stone pillars again, knocking the Lycanroc instead into the ground this time upon impact. This aggravated Gladion as he growled under his breath. Tauros scraped it's hoof against the ground, huffing impatiently and mooing aggressively at it's opponent. Almost as if mocking it. Still, the Lycanroc pulled itself up and refused to back down. Once again, the boys were faced with no other options but to continue their senseless butting of heads.  
  
"Zen Headbutt!"  
  
"Stone Edge!"  
  
Before Lycanroc could even punch the ground to summon another slew of pillars, Tauros smashed it's horns directly into it's face. It was knocked back and fell onto it's back on the ground. It was completely scratched up and no longer able to battle. Tauros huffed, puffing it's chest out victoriously as it turned it's snout up. Hau's composure cracked again as Lycanroc's eyes turned up to look at him as they reverted back to normal. It seemed like it wanted to say something, but it passed out before it had the chance.  
  
Gladion called it back before pulling out his last pokéball. The only weapon he had left. Hau swallowed hard as he tensed. This was it. This was the only pokémon left that could've possibly resurfaced Gladion's humanity. If it failed...there'd be no doubt about it now. "You're down to your last one, Gladion...you're still outmatched," Hau commented. He didn't know what he hoped to accomplish in stating the obvious. Perhaps some part of him was tired of fighting this fight deep down.  
  
"Oh mon cher, you're as naive as ever. He's  _much_ stronger than when you last saw him..."  
  
"I thought I told you to stop calling me that..."  
  
Hau clenched his hands into fists as he felt himself getting angry again. Gladion simply scoffed at him, and tossed the pokéball out into the battle field as he called his last pokémon's name. "Silvally! Come out!" There was that name again. The one he had mentioned before. Once the pokémon inside the ball emerged, it made perfect sense. Hau was shocked to find that while it was indeed Null, as he recognized it's lower half, it's head was no longer restrained by a tight and uncomfortable mask.  
  
It's eyes too, were yellow, just like the others. But it was difficult to tell if it was even capable of expressing itself. It's metallic face appeared almost restrained in it's design. It's feathers and tail glowed slightly with a dull white light. The younger boy was caught frozen with shock at it's true appearance. Gladion took advantage of this, "Silvally, use Crush Claw!" Silvally darted forward, slashing into Tauros with it's claws and knocked it backwards. The Taruos cried out in pain, but quickly shook it off.  
  
It let out a low, bellowing moo to snap Hau out of his trance. And it worked like a charm, as Hau shook his own head to regain his focus. "Z-Zen Headbutt!" he commanded. "Iron Head!" Gladion retorted. The tip of Silvally's crest where the metal hook lay glowed and seemed to harden as it charged forward, and Tauros scraped it's hoof again before rushing to meet it half-way. The two pokémon's heads collided in a loud crash, and they strained as they pushed against each other, each trying to cut through the other's defense.   
  
Eventually, it was Tauros that had come out successful, and pushed Silvally back and huffed. The Silvally kept it's ground, keeping itself from flying by digging it's claws into the ground. Once it managed to stop itself, it looked back up at it's opponent. Gladion winced. They were matched toe-to-toe, both being of the same type and of equal strength. He had to think of a way to combat that, or he'd never win. That's when he remembered something, and began chuckled cruelly. The sudden laughter had Hau confused.  
  
What was so damn funny, anyways?  
  
"I would love to keep playing this charade, Hau, truly. But I'm afraid this dance of ours is  _over_."  
  
He held up one of his tentacles again to reveal and odd looking disk in the grasp of his rugged fingers. Lillie gasped with wide eyes as she recognized what it was. Moon was left completely confused by this as she tilted her head. "What is that? What's he doing?" Rotom zoomed in with his camera to get a better looked. "I-I-It looks like some type of d-d-disc. Zzt!" he deduced. Lillie hung her head again as her eyes darkened. "It's...a Memory Disc. They were made for Silvally specifically," she explained.  
  
"What're you talking about?"  
  
"Back in the basement, I snuck into a couple more rooms while warding off the guards. And...I found some of the discs that were created for Silvally. So, I put them in my brother's bag. I thought since I was retrieving his pokémon, including what I had believed at the time to be Type:Null...I figured he could use the help to be less pathetic when battling. One day, I knew it'd be able to use those discs again."  
  
"How'd ya know  _that_?"  
  
"...When I fought my brother, I could tell he was really trying. That he had a deep connection with his pokémon. So I knew that if anyone could cure Silvally, it'd be him. B-But now..."  
  
She began to shake as tears came to her eyes. They all looked up at the boys again. It seemed now that Gladion was about to give himself the upper hand. Hau sweat a bit. While he didn't particularly recognize the object, he knew there was only one thing it could be. "That's...one of those discs you were talking about before..." he muttered. Gladion smirked snidely, "So you remembered. That's good. Be grateful, you'll finally witness it's true power for  _yourself_!" He tossed the disc towards Silvally.  
  
One of the devices on it's cheek opened up, revealing that it was actually a slot. The disc fell perfectly into it, and once it did, the device closed up again. Suddenly, the whites of it's eyes, as well as it's tail and the feathers on it's head all glowed bright orange. Rotom cried out as he analyzed the pokémon's status. "Wa-a-ah! It changed types!" Moon, Guzma, and Lillie's eyes all widened in shock. Rotom pointed to his screen to direct their attention. "Lo-o-ook! It's become a Fighting Type! Zzt!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Then that means..."  
  
"Oh no..."  
  
"SILVALLY, USE  _MULTI-ATTACK_!"  
  
Silvally's claws glowed with the same orange energy as was reflected in it's feathers, tail, and eyes. Once again, it slashed into the Tauros with it's claws, but the blow seemed to take much more out of it this time as it rolled over onto it's side. It cried out in excruciating pain, and Hau gasped at the sudden power gap. What  _was_ that move?! "T-Tauros! What happened?!" Gladion's snide and mocking smile didn't fall as he began to explain. "The RKS system is pretty simple, Hau. It stands for Retyping Kinetic Simulation."  
  
"Retyping...? Wait, so that means that-"  
  
"Correct. These discs allow Silvally to change it's base type. And in turn, that influences how strong it's move Multi-Attack will be."  
  
"But that can only mean the disc you just put in was-"  
  
"There isn't a trick you can pull to get out of this, Hau. Even if you pull it back again, it  _won't_ be saved."  
  
Hau growled impatiently, "WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?!" Gladion snickered in bemusement. "Honestly, I think it's my  _sister_ I have to thank for that.  _I_ certainly wasn't the one who put them in my bag..." he jeered.  _So it's original name meant that it was capable of changing into any type, and the change was just to signify that it couldn't..._ Hau thought. He shook his head again. He knew Gladion was indeed right. If Gladion had the right discs on hand, he was at a severe disadvantage no matter what he did.  
  
All he could do was hope his pokémon could persevere through this nightmare. By now, his Tauros had already climbed back up to it's feet, still ready to fight. "T-Tauros, use Payback!" To his surprise, Gladion didn't attempt to instruct his Silvally to retaliate. The Tauros slammed into Silvally at full force due to this, damaging it, though seemingly not by much. Gladion smirked maliciously as he suddenly uttered his next order. "Multi-Attack it, now..." he muttered.  
  
Still stick between the Tauros's horns, Silvally managed to not only hit Tauros yet again with another painful bout of it's attack, but it was able to hit a particularly weak spot. It fell onto it's side as the Tauros dropped it and cried out in pain. The Tauros itself fell onto it's side as well, this time not getting back up. It's breathing was heavy and labored. The claw marks were massive and extremely damaging to it. That last attack had taken everything it had left. Hau bit his lower lip and call it back.  
  
They were both down to their last pokémon now. Hau pulled out his last pokéball, staring down at it nervously. He didn't know how he was going to counter this advantage Gladion had over him. It was too easy for him to get the result he wanted with that much power at his fingertips. Hesitantly, Hau called out his last line of defense, his Incineroar. It bellowed with an intimidating roar that made Silvally sweat nervously, diminishing it's attack slightly from shaking it's nerves.  
  
The boys were both pressed with their backs against the wall now. This was the last match that would determine everything. Either they'd succeed and things would go back to normal again, or they'd fail, and all of their effort will have amounted to virtually nothing. Even emotionally, Hau was at his limit. This was all becoming too much for him to bare anymore. Between Gladion's snide looks that resembled Lusamine's  _sickening_ face and the horrific taunts he dished out...he was too close to breaking.  
  
And the spectacle that followed was only describable as a non-stop bloodbath of onslaught after onslaught.  
  
"MULTI-ATTACK!"  
  
"FLAMETHROWER!"  
  
Before Silvally had a chance to attack, it was hit with an unbearable heat the Incineroar shot out of it's flaming belt. The attack left it with a burning sensation all over it's body and it breathed heavily with pain as it sweat profusely. But it endured as best as it could for Gladion's sake. The boys repeated their attacks at each other. Every time the Silvally tried to slice into the Incineroar, it was slowed down by another bout of hot flames that burned it. And the leftover heat on it's body left it slowly draining of energy.  
  
Eventually, Gladion gave up his plan out of irritation. "IRON HEAD!" he commanded, abandoning Multi-Attack altogether. Not even a change of discs would help at this point. Hau predicted this crack, and also changed up his strategy. "Block it with Cross Chop!" the younger boy yelled. Incineroar's hand came down in a chop, meeting the crest that threatened to smash into it as Silvally approached. The attack successfully managed to stop Silvally, but just like with Tauros, they were at a stalemate, pushing against each other.  
  
"Now, use your Flamethrower to knock it back!" Hau shouted. Incineroar fired another stream of fire from it's belt, directly into Silvally's face, making it flinch back in pain. Gladion no longer had the upper-hand, even with Silvally's changed typing. Incineroar and Hau had too many tricks to compensate for that. He was driven to anger more and more as Silvally's failure continued. The Nihilego's influence was only worsening this. And this emotion spread, infecting his Silvally and making it enraged as well.  
  
"CRUSH CLAW!" Gladion bellowed. Just like Hau, he was starting to crack. But in a much more sinister light than the younger boy. "Darkest Lariat!" Hau retaliated. Incineroar began spinning as it directed itself towards Silvally, who reared up and sharpened it's claws for the attack. Once again, they collided on equal footing as Silvally managed to dig it's claws into the Incineroar's arm. Both boys had the same idea, as Hau once again tried to take advantage of the close range.  
  
"Cross Cho-"  
  
"TRI ATTACK!"  
  
Just as Incineroar was about to chop into the Silvally with it's free arm, three orbs smashed into it and knocked it back. It held up both of it's arms to defend itself as Silvally jumped back to safety. Just like their pokémon were breathing heavily, so were the boys. This entire battle was taking nearly everything out of them as they sweat bullets. They both had everything riding on the line. Any move could've been their last. They had to focus. Gladion's smile had completely disappeared, as had his smug attitude.  
  
"You're a real pain, you know that?"  
  
"Oh, Gladion...if only you knew how frustrating this  _really_ is."  
  
"I should be the one telling  _you_ that."  
  
"Is that so? Well you obviously don't really know anything at all, then..."  
  
Gladion blinked at him, seeming intrigued by the curious response. But Hau didn't continue this charade. He had no time for this. Arguing with a brick wall did nothing. "Incineroar, Cross Chop!" The constant collision continued, leaving everyone on the sidelines anxious with both anticipation and fear. Lillie became apprehensive at the brutal way they were fighting each other. "I don't understand...they're just tearing each other apart!" she cried. Moon narrowed her eyes, sweating a bit as she observed the battle.  
  
"They're not just senselessly tearing into each other. They're both giving it everything they have now."  
  
"You mean they weren't before?"  
  
"Hau was hesitating...that's because he loves Gladion and he knows his pokémon just as closely as his own. After all, they  _have_ been travelling together all this time. But now, I think he's starting to get it..."  
  
"Get...what...?"  
  
"I can tell from that look in Gladion's eyes," she turned her head to look at Lillie, "He's not himself anymore."  
  
"He's...not himself?"  
  
"Lillie, even if it  _were_ him...I don't think I could believe that. Just look at him..."  
  
Lillie looked up again to get a good look at her brother. And Moon was right. There was no trace of Gladion left anywhere. Sure, he may have  _looked_ like her brother, but he was clearly no longer the same person. But whatever did that mean, exactly? "S-So...Gladion's  _gone_?" Moon shook her head. "No, I don't think  _that's_  it. I think...he just can't escape on his own." Lillie blinked and tilted her head curiously as she pinched her chin and muttered to herself, "But...how do we get him out, then...?"  
  
Moon didn't bother answering this time. She already had a theory, but it wasn't a  _pleasant_ one. And it was  _entirely_ based on gamble. The boys's clashing seemed to have ceased temporarily yet again. Both they and their pokémon were exhausted and on their last breaths. Hau was gripping his arm now, squeezing it keep himself awake. Both boys knew their next moves would be the last ones they could draw from their pokémon. Whoever came out on top now would be the definitive victor.  
  
And yet, Hau was becoming more and more apprehensive. His eyes were glazed over now and he bit his lower lip to keep the tears from coming up to his eyes. He didn't want to break. Not now. If he showed weakness now, he'd never get Gladion back. And that was an outcome he couldn't afford. There was nothing left for either of them to say to each other, all that was left now was to pull the trigger and home that the roulette spun in their favor. Hau took a deep breath, before he sealed his fate for good.  
  
"I-Incineroar...Darkiest Lariat!"  
  
"Multi-Attack...!"  
  
They were both nearly out of breath as they called out their orders. Time once again seemed to slow down for just about everyone in that moment. Incineroar's body lit up in flames as it spread out it's arms. Silvally's claws glowed orange again, just before it began darted forward towards the Incineroar. It began spinning, targeting the Silvally directly in a straight line. Only Gladion was able to see it as Hau suddenly gripped the strap of his backpack. Yet, he was unable to act even as he saw it.  
  
The two pokémon collided, and finally, it seemed that time had stopped completely. Everyone was awe-struck and frozen with shock at what they beheld. Incineroar was faster, by a single,  _split_ second. It winded up one of it's arms, and punched into the Silvally, knocking it backwards. Silvally wasn't able to even attempt to get in one last hit, as it cried out in pain with the last shrivel of energy leaving it's body. Time caught up with everyone, as Silvally hit the floor with a painful crash.  
  
They also noticed upon closer inspection that Incineroar had a berry in it's mouth. A yellow, lumpy berry that it chewed up and swallowed as soon as Silvally hit the floor. They saw that Hau had taken off his backpack and unzipped it again, and was breathing heavily still. He looked like he had hit his limit. Slowly, Silvally's eyes returned to normal as the device on it's cheek forcefully regurgitated the disc Gladion had inserted into it. Silvally passed out shortly thereafter, leaving it determined once and for all.  
  
Hau had  _won_.  
  
Hau fell to his knees at the first sign of his victory and huffed painfully. Lillie on the other hand was grinning excitedly. Guzma smirked, wiping his thumb under his nose. "Damn, not bad kid...you really  _do_ take after yer old man, huh?" he complimented. Moon smiled, putting her hands on her hips and nodding in satisfaction. "That's my rival. I knew he'd kick his ass just fine," she said, smugly. Rotom was the first to be the buzzkill, as he pointed out the obvious to them almost immediately.  
  
"I-I-I wouldn't celebrate just ye-e-et. Look! Zzt!"  
  
His camera was zoomed in again, and he pointed to his screen to grab their attention. They all quickly noticed that Gladion was scowling, almost psychotically so. He looked truly and deeply enraged. Hau didn't seem to have noticed yet. They all looked up anxiously to watch the boys directly. They awaited patiently for either of them to make another move. It was still clear that Gladion wasn't done fighting yet. But how much more could he push it? After all, he was nearly out of breath.  
  
"I don't care..."  
  
Hau's eyes widened as he looked up to meet Gladion's eyes again. He finally noticed that his look hadn't changed. Nothing in that battle had deterred him all that much. It seemed no matter what Hau had tried, any trace of his boyfriend was long gone thanks to the Nihilego. Which brought him to swallow a painful truth, and an even more painful decision he was forced to make. He stood back up, narrowing his eyes at Gladion. He didn't speak yet. He simply waited for Gladion to elaborate on his statement.  
  
"I don't care...I want to be  _alone_. Go  _away_...go away from here...LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"  
  
"You failed to kick me out yourself Gladion, it's time to stop this! Just come home and quit fighting me already!"  
  
"NO! I won't stop! Not ever! Not until I'm alone! I just want to stay here, away from her...away from  _you_!"  
  
"Gladion, you're a  _HYPOCRITE_!"  
  
The older boy froze. The statement and Hau's sudden tone both caught him for a complete loop. What even threw him  _more_ off-balance was when tears started streaming down the younger boy's face. There was so much strain, so much conflict and hurt behind his eyes. Hau shook his head, "You s-said...you said you'd never  _be_ like her! You told me you  _hated_ this place! That you hated  _Ultra Beasts_!" Despite the Nihilego's interference, the older boy managed to remember this.  
  
Hau was angry, angrier than he had ever been. He was tired, and frustrated. Something in him had finally snapped. "So why did you lie to me?! Are you just clinging to things you still can't change?!" he screamed. Gladion scowled, shaking his head rampantly and growling lowly. How could he possibly hope to understand? He had no  _idea_ what it was like! "Leave me  _alone_!" Gladion yelled back. Hau didn't hesitate as he responded with a simple, "No!" All eyes were on the boys now as Hau continued after taking a deep breath.  
  
"...I  _won't_ leave you behind. Not  _ever_. Whether you hate me, or you want to run away, I don't  _care_. You trusted me with everything. You gave up your freedom just to stay beside me! How could I ever hope to just...forget all that and give up on you?! What you're asking of me..."  
  
Hau paused, biting his lower lip apprehensively. He was still crying. Everyone's heart had completely sunken into their stomachs just listening to his desperation. Moon had seen him worried before. Lillie had seen him that way too. They had seen him worried, upset, angry, all these things. But they had never truly seen him at the very end of his rope as he was now. And yet somehow, despite all being here for a common cause...they could scarcely begin to imagine it. Hau closed his eyes tightly as his hands clenched into fists.  
  
"I know I have no right to say this, even after all that we've been through...but you're  _selfish_!"  
  
Everyone gaped and gasped at this. Including Gladion himself. Hau's words were stirring something in him. But these things were things he did not understand. Things that scared him. He had the thought that he didn't want to be scared anymore. That he wanted to be happy. But it was quickly dashed by more stronger and blaring thoughts in his head. That safety was all that mattered to him. The only happiness, the only  _peace_ , that he could achieve was through the assurance that Lusamine would  _never_ find him again. Hau opened his eyes again, and his face became more relaxed.  
  
"...But you're also not my Gladion."  
  
Gladion raised a brow at this. He was almost as surprised as he was confused. "What did you just say...?!" Hau scowled at him again. It was hard to tell if he was angry or upset between this look and his still ever-falling tears. "You may look and sound like him, but you're  _not_ my boyfriend!" he shouted. He looked down again, clutching his chest as he became apprehensive again. All sorts of emotions stirred inside of him. But the most painful one was his certainty.  
  
"My Gladion...he would  _never_ treat his pokémon like pawns for his own selfish gain. He's selfless. He  _sacrificed_ himself to save his sister! He told me...he told me he  _loved_ me. I don't know who you are, but if I have to destroy you to get to him then I will! Because I won't let you get in my way! I  _have_ to get him back!"  
  
Hau closes his eyes again as he began shaking, "So I can tell him..." He let out a shaky breath. Then, he yelled at the top of his lungs, "So I can tell him that  _I_ love him too!" This above all else seemed to shock Gladion enough to rattle his focus. He stared at Hau, almost blankly. Nobody could tell what could've been on his mind. What he might've been thinking. It was just blank, incomprehensible shock. Suddenly, however, as Hau looked up, he saw Gladion's eyes darken as he looked down.  
  
"...Shut up. You're  _lying_..."  
  
Hau blinked, as did everyone else that was watching the boys. The response perplexed all of them. Lying? What part did he not believe? Was Hau wrong? Perhaps he just didn't understand what he said. Hau stumbled on his words as he spoke up again. "Ah...? Wh...what...?" he stuttered. Gladion looked up again. But he was scowling now. He had every bit of anger and hatred spread across his face. It almost made Hau flinch with how confused he was by his answer.  
  
"If you loved me...you would let me be happy. I found my place here with these Beasts but  _you're_ the one being selfish! You won't go away even if I  _wish_ it! So you're a liar...you're  _lying_ when you say that!"  
  
The first thing that hit Hau was shock, initially. After all, it was quite an odd response to have gauged from Gladion. However, it quickly melted back into sadness and grief as he realized this only proved he was right. The Gladion he knew wasn't standing here. He had been deleted by the Ultra Beast. The only way he could get him back was by destroying this impostor. Finally, he scowled again as his own eyes darkened. He looked to his pokémon who was still on the field.  
  
"...Incineroar."  
  
"Roar...?"  
  
"...... _Finish_ him."  
  
Lillie's eyes widened and she dashed forward, reaching out to them as she screamed, " _NO_!!!" Moon held her back to keep her from tossing herself off of the cliff. Guzma looked away, unable to watch as Incineroar released one last bout of it's Flamethrower on Gladion. The fire burned twice as brightly, almost blinding them. Hau was forced to cover his eyes until the noise had stopped. And once it did, he looked up to see the resulting damage. His eyes were wide as he froze.  
  
All that remained of the Nihilego was purple, blackish goop. It was all thick and chunky, and most likely sticky. There were small bits of it's body still somewhat intact, but most of it was burned and melted away. Worst of all yet, there was no sign of Gladion  _anywhere_. Hau fell to his knees as he whimpered. He had no energy left. No strength. No will. He just began sobbing in mourning. Lillie, Moon, and Guzma, were all much the same. Lillie fell to her own hands and knees and began crying as Hau did.  
  
Moon went down with her, tears pricking at her eyes. But they never fell. She was too shocked. All she could think to do anymore was try to hold everyone together. Despite her pain, she tried her best to comfort Lillie despite her shock. And then there was Guzma. His eyes were darkened as he looked down with a shameful look. He felt like a complete failure. He was sure now there was no way Lillie could forgive him. If he had just been less of an idiot, maybe this wouldn't have happened.  
  
Everyone's entire world fell completely to the floor in pieces. Incineroar itself and the pokémon still watching too understood the deed that had been done. And they all mourned in kind. Hau's sobbing devolved into full on screaming and crying as he began to break down. "I'm so sorry! I...I wish I never let you out of my sight! This is  _all_ my fault! I should've listened to you from the start!" He sniffled, "I...I wish...I could take it back! Please...please please  _please_...! Don't do this...d-don't-"  
  
"H...au..."   
  
Hau slowly moved his eyes up. When he stopped, what he saw made him utterly silent with shock. The shrill but unmistakable voice that emerged from the disgusting goop, as well as a hand that reached out hopelessly to Hau, both belonged to the same, unforgettable face. Hau's tears began to dry, and his eyes widened. Gladion was  _alive_. "Gladion...!" he gasped, making a bee-line right for his boyfriend and pulling desperately on his outstretched arm to get him up. He was almost successful, but unfortunately he stumbled into the gross remains of the Nihilego alongside Gladion.  
  
Everyone looked up, having been able to hear this. They were all wrought with despair but newfound confusion. Could it even be possible? Was Gladion ok? Lillie and Moon both slowly rose to their feet to get a better look. They could scarcely make it out, but they could see something moving under a plethora of black and purple ink and blood. Guzma was left utterly dumbfounded and stunned as well. "H-Holy shit...!" he gasped. Rotom zoomed in with his camera to get a closer look.  
  
Gladion's head rested in Hau's lap, and he slowly pulled himself up, swinging his arms around Hau's shoulders to keep himself from sinking back into the floor. Hau wrapped his arms around Gladion as well, aiding his attempt to sit up-right against him. "Hau...you're safe. Thank Arceus, I didn't... _hurt_ you..." Gladion breathed, shakily. Tears returned to Hau's eyes, and he was silent at this observation. His hold on the muck-covered blonde tightened as he couldn't help a sob.  
  
"W-What're you on about, you dummy? I wasn't the one  _possessed_! I thought I lost you..." he chuckled, halfheartedly. Gladion breathed a weak snicker in response, still too weak to form many words. They stayed still like this for a long time, though  _how_ long could've been up to debate. For both of them it felt like hours. Hau was a bit startled when Gladion broke the long silence again, "Hau...just before...it took over me..."  
  
Hau was silent as he pitied his partner. He couldn't  _imagine_ how horrifying the last moments he remembered must've been. "I know...I saw you. I-I remember your voice, too. And...your  _touch_..." he started, moving one of his hands to grasp one of Hau's arms. He noticed this and moved one of his arms back to where it was to try and figure out what Gladion was doing. Once he did this however, Gladion locked their fingers together and Hau blushed.  
  
"I remember...when you held my hand...like  _this_. I-I thought...I was safe. But then...I c-couldn't speak. And it...f-felt like a bunch of  _knives_ were being... _forced_ into my head...! I t-tried so hard...to  _only_ think of  _you_ until it all went... _dark_..." Hau could hear Gladion sob into his shoulder. "I saw you...trying to reach me. Th-that's the last thing I remember. I tried to fight it, but I-" Hau pulled back a bit to get a better look at Gladion's face, and smiled warmly.  
  
"Shhh. It's alright. Gladion. Y-You don't have to apologize. I'm just glad I have my Gladion...the  _real_ Gladion," he declared, bringing up another hand to caress Gladion's cheek gently. Gladion stared at him with wide eyes, taken aback by his ability to forgive and move forward from the past yet again. "Hau..." he whispered, his face sinking into Hau's touch as his thumb rubbed against his cheek over and over in a circular motion.  
  
Hau looked down for a moment, as if debating something within himself. Gladion was about to ask what was troubling him when Hau looked up at him again and spoke his mind, "This might not be the best time...but it wasn't when you did it either. S-So...I need to tell you something." Gladion blinked, trying to figure out what exactly he was trying to say and failing. Instead, he simply asked, "What is it...?" Hau seemed to hesitate again, but he smiled once again and put Gladion's worries at ease.  
  
"...I love you too, Gladion."  
  
The joy and relief that Gladion felt in that moment was indescribable. He couldn't remember a single time in his life he had  _ever_ felt so elated. Slowly, his face contorted as his eyes began to glaze over. Despite feeling so happy that Hau returned his feelings, he also felt like a complete fool for not admitting how he felt sooner. Hau had already long since faced this feeling and dispelled it. Still, he felt even happier now that Gladion could finally hear him say it. And Gladion's reaction made him all that much more happy.  
  
"...H...Hau..."  
  
Gladion buried his face in Hau's chest, unable to keep himself from outright crying any longer. His face was red, and he never felt more alive than in this moment. Hau chuckled, and pet his partner's head gently, soothing him quietly as best he could. He couldn't help but smile at how much Gladion was showing his most vulnerable side to him. His hard work had finally paid off,  "Hey...quit your crying. This is a good thing isn't it? I wanna see you smile again, koʻu alola."  
  
"I  _am_ smiling you nitwit...y-you just can't see," Gladion insisted through his sobs. It was true, he had the biggest grin he had ever worn on his face right now. He couldn't help it. Things had finally stopped looking bleak and he could rest knowing nobody could ruin what he had now. Hau had proven there was no obstacle that would keep them from being together. Not his mother, not the Ultra Beasts, not even Gladion's own stubbornness. He began to cough as he started to feel weak again.  
  
"Gladion? Are you ok?"  
  
"I...I d-don't-"  
  
His vision began failing him as the world around him spun. He clutched to Hau even tighter as he began shaking. "H-Hau...I'm  _scared_...!  _Please_ , don't let go of me...!" Hau held him closer, rubbing his back gently. "Shhh, i-it's ok. I won't leave you alone," he cooed. Gladion's breathing became labored as his eyelids grew heavy. "I...I'm so tired..." Hau bit his lower lip. Perhaps the Nihilego's control had physically exhausted him. He didn't  _appear_  to be fatally injured, after all.  
  
"Th...then go to sleep, alola. I promise I'll still be here when you wake up."  
  
"...W-Will you...sing, for me...?"  
  
"...Of course, alola."  
  
Hau cradled him gently as he sung an old lullaby in his native tongue for him again. Gladion didn't understand anything he was saying, but that didn't matter to him. His eyelids slowly fluttered shut as he slumped into his boyfriend. He tried to whisper one last thing to him, but ultimately failed as he slipped into unconsciousness. Eventually, the song had finished and Hau moved Gladion into his arms to get a look at his face. He gasped as he saw that Gladion was ghost white now, and he had coughed up the same purple ink that they were sitting in.  
  
He quickly picked Gladion up bridal-style as he stood up. He went to the edge of the floating patch of land he was still stuck on. "G-Guys! I need to get down from here! We have to get Gladion home, now! There's something wrong with him!" Guzma stepped forward, raising a brow questioningly at him. "What do you mean? Is he breathin'?!" Hau nodded, "Mm. But he looks sick! And he coughed up some...black stuff. It looks like the Nihilego's blood..." Guzma winced at this. " _Shit_."  
  
He glanced at his Pinsir, "Pinsir, go up there and get the kids. We gotta get 'em home, ASAP." Pinsir nodded, flying up towards the boys and first taking Gladion from Hau's hands. It delivered the blonde to Guzma swiftly, allowing him to carry the boy. Hau called back his Incineroar, and everyone else followed suit, calling back the rest of their pokémon, save for Pinsir. Until that is, he delivered the second boy safely back to the others. Once Hau was safe and Pinsir was called back into it's ball, they all darted for the exit.  
  
The whole trip back, not a single one of them took their eyes off the blonde boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo I've been listening to A Thousand Years by Christina Perri lately (It's good music don't judge me ;w; ) and often when I listen to songs I can picture stuff in my head. A lot of the song reminded me of this story I've been writing and the long journey these two dorks have had together.   
> If you've never heard it, definitely recommend, real beautiful song.


	55. Chapter 54 - Return To Our Destiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is a long couple of weeks for everyone, as they all patiently await a change in their current situation. With Hau having run off with Gladion and both boys utterly disappearing off the face of the Earth, everyone is tense and left wondering what to do in the mean time.

The tightly packed Police Station was even more packed with the 2 extra guests that took up space on the couches. Nanu's Meowths roamed about freely as they usually did, a few taking direct interest in the guests. One of which being the infamous crime lord himself, Guzma. The other, being a child they were all quite familiar with  _and_ fond of, Acerola. They had all been needing to discuss quite a few things. After all, their mission had wrapped up in such a sloppy bow it may as well have been left untied.  
  
Nanu slumped back in his chair, after rubbing his face with the palms of his hands. Acerola was hanging her head with shame, almost as if she was guilty of something. And as for Guzma, he was just preparing to be laid into at this point. He knew it was inevitable. When Nanu sat up again to meet their eyes, it wasn't a pleasant sight to see. "What the fuck even happened out there?" he groaned. Guzma sighed, "A lot of shit none of us were prepared for, that's what."  
  
"I'm sorry, uncle...if I had known he was travelling with Hala's grandson, I-"  
  
"It's not your fault, Ace. Calm down...this whole situation is just a fuckin' trainwreck."  
  
"Does anyone know where he is?"  
  
Guzma groaned, "His travel companion took 'im off somewhere after we got back. Said he knew somebody that could help 'im."  
  
"As much as I trust the Kahuna's grandson's judgement...this isn't a good look on  _my_ end," Nanu sighed.  
  
Acerola was timid as she spoke up. She pitied the boys so. "Um...uncle Nanu? What's gonna happen to him when we find him?" she asked. Nanu scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "It's...complicated. He ain't a trial-goer, so he's gotta be put  _somewhere_." Guzma raised a brow at this, "You mean there ain't nobody at his old home that can take him in their care?" Nanu shook his head. "In one way or another, all the employees that live on the grounds are liable for the kids' abuse."  
  
"So, legally none of 'em are fit to adopt 'em and just move 'em back in  _without_ the crazy broad."  
  
"Whom I'm sure I don't need to remind you has been declared legally insane."  
  
"Of course...of  _course_ she gets off on some god damn technicality."  
  
"...She probably really  _was_ just insane, you know?"  
  
"I have a hard time believin' that with the shit she's put me through. She was fuckin' disturbed, but she knew what she was doin'."  
  
"Whatever the case, there is no suitable candidate on the premises."  
  
Acerola frowned at this, "S-So what'll happen to the facility? Wasn't the eldest child supposed to inherit the business?" Nanu nodded, taking out a certain file he had confiscated from the Foundation. "Indeed, he is. It was in his father's will. Until further notice, the leading professor, Professor Wicke shall be taking over." Guzma recognized the name as the woman he had bumped into before. She seemed like the best candidate, despite how naive she had somehow managed to be to Lusamine's schemes.  
  
"The Chief Branch has been replaced too, with a former employee who has chosen to help out in repairing the Foundation's damaged rep," he explained. Acerola tilted her head curiously at this. "And who would  _that_ be?" she asked. "Professor Burnet, a scientist on Akala that studies Ultra Space in a more safe and controlled environment." Guzma recognized the name as well, only recently having learned that she happened to be Kukui's wife. He had never met her, but she seemed kind enough based on her call to Moon when the kids had broken into Po Town.  
  
"Gee, this is all just so awful. Where's his sister? What's her name...Lillie?" she asked. Guzma spoke up again as he addressed the purple-haired child. "She's decided to start her trials. She wants to take her mind off all this shit, and I don't blame 'er." Nanu raised a brow at him. "And...you didn't object to this?" Guzma shook his head and waved off the comment. "She ain't a baby, Nanu. Besides, I'm still treadin' on thin ice here. I ain't got no business tellin' her what to do right now..."  
  
Acerola stood up suddenly, her eyes glinting with determination. For the first time since arriving, she was smiling. "Well, whenever we find that boy, you tell him that he can come stay at Aether House with me and the kids! Everyone is welcome, after all. And Headmaster will take  _extra_ good care of him!" Nanu and Guzma blinked at her, and Nanu simply shrugged with a smirk as he shook his head. "Whatever you say, Ace. I'll send 'im your way when we find 'im," he assured.  
  
She nodded, turning and heading for the door. She stopped just before she exited to turn to the men again. "I've gotta go home and check on the little ones. Don't hesitate to call me if something comes up!" She waved and exited, beaming brighter than she had ever beamed before. Nanu and Guzma gave a collective sigh of relief as soon as she was gone. Then, Guzma scratched his head nervously, "I...should go too. I need to keep lookin' for those kids." He got up, heading for the doorway before he stopped again as Nanu called his name. He turned his head to look at him. Nanu stared back quietly for a few seconds before finally answering.  
  
"...Do me a favor, and stop blaming yourself for everything already. We've all got our fair share of fucking up here."  
  
"Heh...I make no promises, old friend."

* * *

  
Lillie stood before the newly fixed up bridge with Hala beside her. She no longer had her dufflebag she had always worn. Instead, now, she brandished a pink backpack with a white ribbon hanging from it. On her other side was her Clefable. She turned her head to look at Hala apprehensively. "You're sure that Tapu Koko will be here?" she asked. Hala nodded, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Don't be nervous, young one. I've known Koko for a great many years. If there's one place he will always be certain to be, it's there."  
  
She nodded, "Right. I understand." She took a step forward, and stopped herself for a moment. Hala raised a brow at this. She didn't look back as she began to speak again. "Mister Hala...? I know it's probably not likely...but have you heard from your grandson?" Hala sweat a bit at this as his brows furrowed. He scratched the back of his head nervously. He had been worried sick, just like the children were. Still, he was sure he could trust his grandson to do the right thing in the end.  
  
He knew when he had heard that Hau had disappeared with Gladion that there was only one suitable explanation. They hadn't gotten much of a chance to talk since the boys had left. But whatever Moon and Lillie had relayed to him told him more than enough. Hau wasn't always good with pressure. And he certainly wasn't good with abandonment. It was clear to Hala that Hau didn't intend on letting go of his beloved partner so easily. He knew what was going to have to happen eventually.  
  
"I'm...afraid not, unfortunately. I've tried his mother as well but, well, she's always been rather flaky since my son left."  
  
"...I understand."  
  
"Don't worry, Lillie. I'm sure wherever your brother is, my grandson is taking good care of him."  
  
"Thank you. I'll be off now..."  
  
Lillie began her walk across the bridge, her Clefable beside her. The bridge was much sturdier than the one that had broken about a month ago. It was still a little wobbly, but not by much. They both made it to the other side safe and sound, and continued onward until they reached the entrance to the ruins. Even now, Lillie was nervous. She wasn't sure what she expected to find inside, even if the old man assured her Tapu Koko would be there. She swallowed hard and Clefable pat her leg to ease her mind.  
  
Lillie gave Clefable a smile and pat it's head. "Thanks, Cleffy." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. Then, she opened them again and had a determined look on her face. "Let's go!" she said. Clefable nodded in agreement and followed it's master into the ruins. Once they entered, they noted there was a long pathway to get through before they would reach the shrine. Luckily, there were no obstacles in their path, and they were able to carry along without much trouble.  
  
Eventually, they reached the other end where the shrine lay. Lillie had been looking around as she walked, taking in the beautiful scenery of the ruins. Once she had reached the shrine, she stopped and gasped in awe. Her eyes sparkled with adoration and wonder at the sight that beheld her. And at the very top of the shrine lay Tapu Koko, as if awaiting her arrival. Clefable too seemed impressed by it's surroundings, but hid apprehensively behind Lillie's leg once it's eyes landed on the island deity.  
  
It quickly noticed them as they slowly stepped closer. "T-Tapu Koko? I've come to seek counsel with you," Lillie appealed. Tapu Koko rose up, and floated down to her to get a closer look. It could see from her appearance and sense in her emotions her connection to the boy it had consoled a month ago. Lillie gulped, feeling as though it could see right through her soul. "M-Mister Tapu K-Koko, sir. I-  _We_ come humbly before you to ask for your blessing," she stuttered. Koko tilted it's head at her almost as if sizing her up.  
  
She watched as it floated over to the waters of the shrine, seeming to stare into it's own reflection. Lillie was sure she hadn't gotten her point across quite good enough. "I-I...I want to become a stronger trainer, you see? S-So I can stand on my own! I've been wearing training wheels for too long. A-And I want to go on a real journey with my partners. To forget about all this bad stuff." Koko didn't acknowledge any of these words. It simply stared into the water quietly.  
  
Lillie was about to be convinced that she had failed to appeal to it, until that is, it suddenly reached into the water. Almost as if it were grabbing something. Eventually, it fished something out. Something she couldn't see. Then it returned to it's position in front of her, offering it's empty hand as if to coax her into holding out her own. She did so obediently. And Koko grabbed it, placing the object it had fished out of the waters into her hand with it's other hand. Once it had given it to her, it released her hand entirely and backed away from her.  
  
She looked down to observe the damp object. And to her delight, it was a sparkling stone that resembled a Z-Ring. She gasped happily and grinned wide. Clefable shuffled out from behind her, admiring the shiny object as well. "Cleff!" it cried. Lillie looked up at Tapu Koko again, nodding thankfully. "Th-thank you, Tapu Koko! I promise, I'll use this power well!" she praised. It let out a soft cry of approval, before returning to it's place at the top of the shrine to meditate. Lillie giggled giddily, turning and heading back the way she came with her Clefable as she pulled out her phone and flipped it open.  
  
"Zi is gonna  _flip_ when she hears about this~!"

* * *

  
The bitter cold of the borderline tundra was unbearable even under the precautions Moon had taken to combat it. She wore a thick coat and a long scarf. She even replaced her normal beanie with a hat that covered her ears. Underneath her coat she had on black leggings, and wore long fluffy brown boots overtop of them. Her long and thick hair also helped to keep her face just slightly warmer. Still, there was nothing that could be done for her pokémon. But they managed. They were strong enough to endure.  
  
It had been so long since Moon had talked to anyone she knew well enough. Ever since Hau's disappearance, all she wanted to numb the pain of all that had happened. She wasn't ready for most of the things she had experienced since moving here. The boys meant something dear to her now. They were good friends, and she had always been behind both of them the entire way. Sometimes she wondered what it'd have been like if she hadn't moved in at the right time. Hadn't been in Iki Town that day.  
  
Would Gladion even still be alive? Assuming, he still was right now. All she knew was that he was sick and missing, and Hau was the only lead behind it. She wanted to trust that Hau was doing the right thing, wherever it is he was. She, just like Hala, was sure that his disappearance was not meant to be malicious or harmful. It was obvious that he was just scared. And Moon could hardly even blame him. She was scared of losing Gladion almost as much. After all, he didn't deserve to be suffering.  
  
Hau didn't deserve to have the only boy he had ever loved taken away from him. And she could only imagine just how scared Gladion might've felt right about now. Even though it had only been a few days already, she was apprehensive. And even more worrying, the Lucario that had allegedly been following Gladion had been missing as well. There was no trace of either of the boys  _or_ their pokémon left. All that was left for Moon was to either go home or continue her journey. And for the first night coming back to Alola...she had no idea what to do.  
  
She had initially gone home to see her mother. She had unloaded every last thing she had been through since she left. And her mother absorbed all of it in full. And after a long night of breaking down and letting her frustrations out, her mother managed to console her. She had convinced her daughter that she had to continue getting stronger. She owed it to herself, to her rivals, and most of all to her pokémon. And now more than ever, she owed it to her late father whom she promised to surpass.  
  
Of course, first, she had to break the news to Burnet. And it was a long and heart breaking talk they had to have. She could tell that Burnet was absolutely broken at the news of Gladion's disappearance, let alone that he had fallen ill and been taken hostage by the Ultra Beasts. It took a couple of hours to convince her that it wasn't her fault. That there was nothing more she could've done to help with her position. Despite being uncertain herself, she kindly assured Burnet that Gladion would be ok in Hau's hands.  
  
She was surprised when Lillie had come to her, offering to join her in breaking the news to Hau's grandfather. But she had no objection to this. The old man was stressed and obviously worried. But it seemed that he had faith in Hau. Perhaps she couldn't quite understand his faith. After all, he had raised Hau for nearly all his life. He probably knew better than anyone what intent Hau would most likely have. And Lillie herself seemed worried, but her reasons were still uncertain.  
  
Moon very much doubted her anger towards him dissipated so quickly. After all, even though she didn't wish death upon him, she most certainly wouldn't have forgiven him on the fly. She wondered if it was probably for the better that Hau had gone into hiding with Gladion. Then again, Lillie had quickly decided to run off and start her own trials. It was a shock to both Moon and Guzma. But Guzma inherently did nothing to stop her. Most likely out of guilt. And Hau wasn't around to act as a mediator this time.  
  
They had all become utterly fractured with the absence of the boys. Moon had long since cleared her Poni trials, and the Alola League had finished it's construction right on time. At the top of this mountain, Mount Lanakila, laid the dream she had aspired to since her early childhood. She knew it wouldn't be easy, and this would be her grandest trial of all. But she knew if she just kept her head held high and kept her focus, she could make it. She would make it to the top, and wait for her rivals to make their way to her.  
  
To prove once and for all who was the superior trainer between them.  
  
She had already made it halfway up the mountain, her Sylveon at the front to defend her even through the thick snow storm. Suddenly, her Sylveon had stopped. It seemed it had found an opponent that it couldn't quite waltz through on it's own. As Moon inched closer, she squinted her eyes to get a better look at the creature. It appeared by a rather elderly looking pokémon, and upon inspection, was clearly a dragon of some sort. It had a wise looking face, with long white hairs hanging off of it's head.  
  
Rotom poked his head out of Moon's purse to scan the creature. Even through the thick snow, it managed to capture a clear image of it. "Drampa,- Zzt! -the Placid Pokémon. Thi-i-is pokémon is friendly-y-y to people and loves- Zzt! -children most of all. It comes from de-e-eep in the mountains to play with children it likes in town." Moon reached into her purse, pulling out an unused pokéball as she narrowed her eyes at the creature. Pushing the button with her gloved hands to increase it's size, she smirked under her scarf.  
  
"A friendly old dragon, huh? Let's reel it in, shall we~?"

* * *

  
It had been years now since the two women had seen each other. Many long years. And yet, within just a month, they had both found themselves fighting under the same cause. They had both been wrought with despair, worry, and self-reflection. They had both agreed to work together to keep the Foundation together. While they couldn't do as much as they wished they could for the young boy they became fond of, they were sure they would do right by him and preserve his father's memory in this cold place.  
  
Today again, they were met with each other on the same cause. The only closure they were missing besides knowing that the kind and sensitive boy they had been anxious about was safe and sound, was a long need conversation with the only one that hadn't answered for their crimes. Their former boss, a woman they had known for years; Lusamine. After so many years of knowing her, they felt they could never truly sleep well at night until they heard her side of all of this directly.  
  
So, they both agreed upon visiting her in her current home; The Konikoni City Institute for the mentally insane.  
  
It wasn't easy from the first step inside the building. It reminded them heavily of the walls of many laboratories they had been in over the years. Not too surprising to them. Science and medicine often went hand in hand. Burnet was the first to approach the front desk, "Excuse me? We're here to visit a patient?" The woman at the desk looked up at them curiously. She readjusted her glasses, before looking to her computer and typing to find the list of appointments for that day.  
  
"Do you have an appointment? I'm going to need a time stamp, your names, and the patient's name."  
  
"Y-Yes. 12 o' clock? I'm Burnet and this is my colleague, Wicke. We're here to visit...Lusamine?"  
  
The woman raised a brow at her, " _Lusamine_?"  
  
"I-Is there a problem...?"  
  
"...No, you're listed here. She's in the white room right now, so you'll be required to be accompanied by a security guard and a nurse."  
  
"That's fine, thank you."  
  
"Let me see your wrists, please."  
  
Burnet and Wicke each held out their wrists for the woman to wrap a paper wrist band around them, indicating them as legal visitors. The woman pushed a button on a phone receiver like device on her desk. "Gonna need a security guard and whatever nurse is assigned to Ms Lusamine at the front desk." The device beeped as a new voice replied with a simple, "On it." It didn't take long for a dainty looking nurse and a bulky man dressed in security guard attire to appear to escort the women to the room.  
  
It was a long walk to Lusamine's room. It appeared to be sequestered far from most patients. Which only made Wicke and Burnet all the more anxious. Eventually, however, they reached the room that held the woman they had known for years. The nurse held up her hand gently, apprehensively knocking on the door as she clutched a clipboard to her chest. "L-Lusamine? I-It's me, your nurse. Have you calmed down?" The security guard peered in the tall window none of the others could peek into. Lusamine gave a chilling response through mad giggling.  
  
"I'm free, Caroleen~"  
  
The nurse looked to the security guard, who gladly entered first in case Lusamine attempted to use physical force. Upon entering, however, she didn't try to do this. Which prompted the security guard to give all 3 women the ok to enter. They all shuffled inside the padded white room, Burnet and Wicke entering behind the nurse anxiously. The security guard made it a point to close the door and stand in the way of it in case Lusamine dared to attempt anything during the visit.  
  
She was hardly recognizable. Her long hair was disheveled, tangled, unkempt and filthy. She had bags under her wide, blood-shot eyes. And wrapped around her was a straight jacket to keep her from moving too much. "Ohhh, well  _look_ who it is. My right hand woman who stabbed me in the back, and a  _worthless_ scientist who tried and failed to match  _my_ work!" Wicke and Burnet flinched at this. Wicke was the first to step forward and grab Lusamine's attention.  
  
"So...you recognize us."  
  
"Are you  _dense_?"  
  
"Lusamine,  _please_. We just want closure."  
  
"Baise ta fermeture! You took  _everything_ from me..."  
  
"I had to do  _something_ , Lu! H-How could...how could you treat your children like that?"  
  
Lusamine snickered, "What children? I don't  _have_ children." Wicke winced at this. She didn't want to get angry. "Why...why did you put Lillie and Gladion through so much  _pain_? This isn't what Mohn would've wanted, Lu!" Lusamine growled at this, "Don't you  _dare_ tell me what Mohn would've wanted." Wicke shook her head again. She had deluded herself far too long to thinking she had no right to step on Lusamine's toes like this. But now she knew better. She had known Lusamine and Mohn the longest.  
  
Lusamine and her were best friends, after all. They had bright dreams to make change in the world. She was an honored intern that quickly befriended the rich aspiring scientist who had set up shop in Alola. Together, they had slowly began climbing the ranks and impressing over and over again. At first, Lusamine sounded truly crazy. Crazy, but ambitious. She had even made up blueprints for a man-made island that acted as a safe haven for all creatures.  
  
And one day, Lusamine had inherently met the man of her dreams. A humble islander from Melemele who was a passionate conservationist. Wicke certainly found her young crush to be adorable, and often encouraged her to take the first step. But in the end, it was Mohn who swept her off her feet first. Around that time was when they had meant Burnet, yet another brilliant and shining star in the field of science. She too, like Mohn, was passionate about the conservation of pokémon.  
  
Mostly, she studied marine biology, and was incredibly passionate about the undersea ecosystem of Water Type pokémon. In meeting Mohn, they had also met a close friend of his that was passionate about science as well. He too, just like Lusamine was incredibly intrigued by the theory of inter-dimensional travel and existence as a whole. At the time, he was quite the suave ladies man. Of course, that was no longer the case due to his rapid aging. Truly, they were a passionate group of young activists and brilliant minds.  
  
Even the humble and rural Mohn had a bright intelligence about him. The union of them was a beautiful spectacle. One that both Burnet and Wicke were present for. They were always there, up to the moment that changed everyone, including her family forever. Burnet still held guilt for the death of Mohn. But she had felt that in receiving Gladion's forgiveness, she could finally start to atone for all she had done. This too, was one of the first steps to closing the book on this dark chapter of her life.  
  
The same went for Wicke, who held shame for being so spineless. All the pleasant and distant memories now were tainted by this awful spiral into madness that nearly ended in yet another needless and tragic death. "Lu, you were my  _friend_. Please, just  _listen_ to me. Don't you remember how things used to be? I know you loved Mohn...but what you've done is nothing more than selfish!" Lusamine spun her head around, almost inhumanly so. Like she was some sort of alien creature.  
  
"I don't care about that anymore...you're mistaken."  
  
"I don't believe that, Lu. You  _loved_ him!"  
  
"He's  _dead_ to me, Wicke. He's dead by all definitions of the word. Even  _you_ aren't naive enough to think otherwise. You were there, Wicke...you saw it all. All that was left for me was my precious beasts. And it still is all that's left. I'll have them yet~"  
  
"You won't, Lusamine. We've destroyed the machine you had Faba built. And the flutes are locked away somewhere you'll never find them again. Your dream is  _dead_ , Lu."  
  
Lusamine stared at Wicke quietly, seeming to process everything she had heard. But she gave no answer in the end. She only stared up at the ceiling, almost as if admiring the lights. Burnet stepped forward next, gaining back Lusamine's attention. She scowled, glaring a nasty glare in her direction before she even opened her mouth. "Lusamine...? I know it's been a while since we've spoken. I just...wanted to apologize for what happened to Mohn. It was  _all_ my fault."  
  
"If it was your fault, I  _should_ be thanking you. I've found my purpose with the beasts~!"  
  
"No, Lusamine. Your son...your son came to me,  _scared_. Because  _you_ tormented him. I...I tried to  _defend_ you, Lusamine."  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you? I have no children..."  
  
"You  _do_ , Lusamine! They're your children. All he wanted was for you to love him and protect him. To be his  _mother_ , Lusamine."  
  
"He should've thought about that before he  _betrayed_ me, then. Lillie had the sense of mind to know her place until he fucked it all up. Thanks to him, she's been ruined."  
  
Burnet and Wicke could hardly believe what they were hearing. Even the security guard was disgusted with her words, but he remained silent. This wasn't his business, after all. Wicke took a deep breath before stepping forward again. "We came to say goodbye, Lu. I'm taking over the Foundation in your stead, and your children are being handed over to the courts until they are adopted or fostered. I'm sorry that I let this happen to you..." she mourned, holding back tears.  
  
"I'm sorry too...if the Lusamine I know is still in there listening, I promise I'll look after your son as best as I can."  
  
"And I promise to make the Foundation something much better than it was before. The perfect sanctuary, just like we always dreamed."  
  
Lusamine growled lowly at them, "Do you think I find sentimental value in you coming here to  _taunt_ me...?! You're  _deluded_." Wicke shook her head, "No, Lu.  _You_ are. Goodbye. I hope one day you can find a way to forgive  _yourself_." Burnet nodded in agreement, and they shuffled out of the room past the security guard. The nurse stayed inside, most likely to do an in-depth report on Lusamine's condition. Despite walking out of the building looking utterly lifeless, Wicke and Burnet both felt a large weight lift off of their shoulders.  
  
As they left the institution, they tried as hard as they could to burn away the sickeningly sweet memories of her, in the days when they were all young, free, and full of life.

* * *

  
As usual, the perky house was quiet. Comfey bobbed around the living room blissfully free. But it hung low, seeming to be tired from both the atmosphere and the contact high of the herbal essences around it. It had yet another array of wilted flowers that it carried along with much care and love. Iolana was in the kitchen, humming softly to herself as her Oranguru helped her make some food. On one counter, it prepared a meal, saving the tea for Iolana to prepare herself as it never could quite replicate her recipe correctly.  
  
As for Iolana herself, she was creating an assortment of all types of herbs. She even crushed some of the harder material with a mortar and pestle. Eventually, she mixed it all together in a separate cup of tea made up of much different ingredients. She took a gentle whiff of her concoction, and nodded in satisfaction. She stirred the ingredients, until all blended in together naturally. With that, she had finished her private prep and got to work on her normal calming tea to put with the food.  
  
"Be a dear, Oranguru~ Take the medicine to him. I'm sure he can give it to the poor dear while I finish up here."  
  
Oranguru nodded, picking up the cup and heading towards a room in the back of a small hallway. It was a narrow hallway, but it had learned to squeeze through it without much trouble by now. Besides, Comfey was much to wrapped up with it's floral collection to carry out this task. It didn't bother knocking before it opened the door and stepped inside. It was a small room, with small furniture and children's toys scattered about in random places. It had been empty for quite a few years now, however.  
  
Until recently, of course.  
  
In a corner of the room, a Lucario was leaned against the wall and seemed to be meditating. It hadn't left the room since it arrived. And by the hammock bed of the room, on a small futon, sat the only son of the Oranguru's master. The young boy looked up as soon as Oranguru entered. His dark ebony eyes lit up as he recognized immediately the cup in the pokémon's hand. He stood up, gently taking it from him, "Thanks, Oranguru." Oranguru nodded, turning and leaving the room again to leave the boy to his devices.  
  
He sat back down on the futon, gazing down at the figure still resting in the bed. It wasn't long before his mother too was in the doorway of the room, holding a tray of food and a cup of tea. "Good morning, darling~" she cooed. He turned to look at her, and gave her a half-hearted smile. "H-Hey mom..." he greeted back. She approached, placing the tray on a small empty end table by the bed. She turned to look at the figure in the bed as well, frowning with disappointment as she cupped a cheek in her hand.  
  
"Ohhh, he still hasn't woken yet...?"  
  
"No...but it looks like he's getting better thanks to your medicine."  
  
"Happy to help, Hau~"  
  
"...Hey, mom?"  
  
"Hmmm~?"  
  
"...I just...wanted to thank you for doing all this for me. F-For  _him_."  
  
"But of course, son~ The streams determined that you were  _destined_ for each other, after all~"  
  
"Heh...if you say so."  
  
She planted a kiss on her son's cheek, before exiting the room quietly. Hau looked down on the subject of discussion that laid unconscious in the bed with a blanket over his body and a damp cloth on his head. Hau's eyes glazed over as he reached out a hand to caress his cheek. He bit his lower lip and hung his head slightly. The boy in bed began twitching with another night terror that plagued him, one of many he had that week. Hau rubbed his thumb along his cheek to soothe him and whispered gently.

"Hey, shhh. You're gonna be fine."  
  
"Hau...! Everything's...dark...!"

"Shhh...e aho, alola. You're safe."  
  
"D-Don't go...! Je t'aime...je t'aime...!"  
  
Hau's eyes widened as tears came to his eyes. He pressed his head against the older boy's to try and further ease his panic, simultaneously moving his hand off his face to grip Gladion's in an attempt to comfort him. "Shhh...! I-It's alright, I promise. I'm right here," he breathed shakily. Despite being glad the older boy was well enough to speak, it brought him no ease to hear him struggle like this. His companion seemed to have calmed down a bit. He knew it was best to take advantage of this so he could give him his medicine. He picked up the cup, still whispering sweetly into his beloved's ear.  
  
"Drink this, alola...it's going to make you feel better..."  
  
"Non...non...!"  
  
"Shhh, it's alright. I won't hurt you."  
  
"Mon cher,  _please_...! Th-the pain...!"  
  
"I know. I know it hurts...just trust me."  
  
All the resistance had ceased with this request, and Hau was able to carefully pour the contents of the cup into Gladion's mouth. He coughed, seeming to despise the taste. But thankfully, he didn't spit anything up. Hau smiled warmly, caressing his cheek again. "There, see? You're ok..." he cooed again. He gently brushed the blonde's bangs aside, and kissed his forehead to comfort him. Whatever night terror the boy had been having utterly dissipated after that. Then, Hau sighed heavily as he took his hand away.  
  
"Please come back to me, Gladion. I miss you..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo I just bought the first 4 copies of the Sun/Moon Adventure manga and I have to say I personally recommend it to all y'all out there.
> 
> Now y'all know I _love_ me some cuteboneshipping but lawd I see you lonashippers over there and I'll be real; It's cute >w>
> 
> If any of you have read it or even caught glimpses, feel free to discuss below, though.


	56. Chapter 55 - Far Too Damaged

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As it now reaches the second week of the boys' disappearance, and things begin to come to a close for everyone. Including Hau, as Gladion finally awakens from his toxic slumber. However, that leaves Hau left to have a conversation he has dreaded since he returned home with his boyfriend.

_Upon landing, the wormhole that had brought them all home closed once again. They were all left to stand alone in the Altar, as they immediately got off of Nebula's back and checked on the boy's condition. It had worsened. Though whether from whatever ailment he suffered or the trip back was anyone's guess. He was completely pale now. And despite being unconscious, his fingers twitched. Almost as if he was in pain. Everyone was at a complete loss as to what they should do.  
  
"I don't understand...! He was just fine when he got up!" Hau cried.  
  
Moon raised a brow at him. "What happened up there, Hau?" she asked. He became frantic almost immediately. The entire thing was starting to rattle his brain again. "I-I don't know! H-He seemed  **fine**!" He paused for a moment to compose himself. He needed to focus. "He...he started coughing. And he said...he was tired. I thought maybe the Nihilego just exhausted him. So I told him to go to sleep. And...once he was out cold, I checked to see if he had any injuries," he explained.  
  
"So that's when you found out he coughed up that black blood," Moon finished for him. Hau nodded, looking down at his companion again. "Yeah...it looked exactly like the stuff he was laying in." Lillie took a closer look at the black substance that still stained her brother's face. She gently ran her finger along his face to get some on her fingers. At first, Guzma tried to scold her. "Lillie, what're you doin'-" She cut him off as she held up her finger, "This isn't blood."  
  
Everyone gave her a bewildered look. However, Moon looked closely at her finger, sniffing at the substance. "Yeah...you're right. It's...goopy. Almost like clotted blood would be but it looks more purple than red in hue despite how black it is." Moon turned to look at the boys again, "And...it doesn't  **smell** like blood." They both blinked at her with shock, though it was clearly not directed at the meaning of what she said. She sighed irritably, "I was taught first aid and such, I know these things. Would ya focus?"  
  
They shook their heads to clear their minds. Hau tilted his head as he pinched his chin in thought. "But...if it's not blood, then what is it?" Lillie looked up at Hau again. "You said he was laying in something like this before, right?" Hau nodded, "Yeah. I  **thought** that maybe it was just the Nihilego's blood. But it was just like that. All goopy and sticky and... **black**." _ _Nebula suddenly let out a gentle roar to get their attention, and everyone looked up at it. Rotom jumped at the gun to translate for it.  
  
"I-I-It's saying, 'That's because it  **isn't** blood!'"  
  
Everyone exchanged looks of utter confusion. Hau raised a brow at Nebula curiously. "Then...what  **is** it?" Nebula let out a soft roar again that Rotom translated quickly. "It's a p-p-poison! Zzt! The Ni-i-ihilego don't have normal blood, i-i-it's made up of toxins they s-s-secrete when fatally injured to- Zzt! -kill off predators!" Everyone gasped in horror as they turned their attention back to the blonde boy. Tears came to Lillie's eye as she began to panic, " **K-K-Kill**?!" Moon shook her head. She couldn't accept this._  
  
_"We...we should get him to a doctor! It's a poison, right? Poisons are treatable! They'll know what's wrong with him!" Moon reasoned._  
  
_Guzma shook his head, "I don't think that's gonna help. This sure as hell ain't_ ** _natural_** _. I hardly think there's a doctor across Alola qualified to treat this."_  
  
_"Well we can't just do_ ** _nothing_** _! He needs help!" Lillie cried._  
  
_Surprisingly, Hau was the only one who had been silent. The news didn't shake him to tears or panic immediately like it might've normally. But after all that he'd been through in such a short period of time, he was nearly broken. Anything bad that came up was just another addition to the pain he was forced to numb, lest he lose his mind. The 3 continued to argue as he stood silently, trying to clear his thoughts. He knew all 3 of them were right, at least somewhat. But who could they turn to if not a doctor?_  
  
_Suddenly, it hit him._  
  
_"GUYS!"_  
  
_Guzma, Lillie, and Moon all ceased their yelling and turned to look at the boy they had forgotten about. His face was tense, and Moon immediately felt guilty. This was no time to lose her head. Hau was probably struggling the most with all this. She was about to apologize when he spoke up again. "You're_ ** _all_** _right." They each raised a bewildered brow at this. But he continued, "If it's a poison, it can definitely be treated. But_ ** _most_** _doctors out there probably won't know how to treat it. But he needs help. Any help."_  
  
_His eyes glinted with determination as he raised up his head to look them in the eye properly._  
  
_"I...I think I know someone that can help. I can take him there."_  
  
_Everyone gave him an odd, disbelieving look. It_ ** _sounded_** _convenient and exactly what they wanted. Still, they had their suspicions about this. "What do you mean? Who is this person, Hau?" Moon asked. "She's an herbalist. She used to treat me for all sorts of poisons. Even stuff that wasn't all that native to Alola. If anyone can help us- ...Help_ ** _him_** _, it's her." Lillie was still apprehensive about this, but Moon gave a tired smile as she put her hands on her hips. She let out a small sigh before she answered._  
  
_"Ah, hell...alright, let's try it. You said you can take him there?"_  
  
_"Y-Yeah. I can carry him."_  
  
_Guzma raised a brow at her, "Hey, hold on a sec-" Moon shot him a nasty glare. "Listen, buster. I don't want a lecture from_ ** _you_** _. Lillie may have forgiven you, but you're still an Ekans. I trust Hau with Gladion fully. He's been taking care of him this long, so I_ ** _know_** _he means well." Guzma bit his lip, and didn't argue after that. He handed the pale boy over to Hau. Hau nodded at him, his eyes gleaming with emotion. "Thank you...I'll make sure he gets better." Lillie nodded at him, "You better, you brat..."_  
  
_Hau chuckled nervously, before Moon called him a Charizard. It didn't take long before the boy departed with the unconscious boy, and once he did, they were left with just one more thing to take care of. All 3 of them turned around to look at Nebula, who roared at them with innocent ignorance and confusion. Rotom beeped curiously, just as awkwardly silent as the others were. It took them all a long moment, before someone asked the obvious and yet tedious question that had no answer._  
  
_"So...what do we do about..._ ** _this_** _?"_

* * *

  
Today was the 13th day since that day. The last time she had ever seen or heard from Hau, or Gladion for that matter. And it had been approximately 3 days since she came to sit a top the throne of Alola's very first pokémon League. Beating the Elite 4 was no easy task for her, but somehow, she found it easier than quite a lot more she had accomplished the past month or so. And even upon her victory, there had still laid one last obstacle in her path. Her cousin, Kukui.  
  
For all the annoyed looks and impatient sneers she reserved for him, even she was forced to admit he was a formidable trainer. Especially when he found his calling in Battle Royal. Even  _if_ he persona was...rather  _silly_. They had both given it everything they had, but in the end, Moon had prevailed and achieved her lifelong dream. There was no more room for doubt. She had done her father proud, and become the best trainer in all the region. The throne of the League was hers to sit upon, and she was truly happy.  
  
Still, the victory came with a hollow feeling following that. After all, it didn't really feel the same knowing that her rivals were either much behind her or completely missing altogether. It would be quite a long while until she saw Lillie in this arena. And while she had hoped that she could climb this tower alongside Hau, that unfortunately didn't turn out to be the case. She even wondered if one day Gladion would partake in the trials. Climb his way up to the top and try to claim her title.  
  
Her title, as the very first Alola Regional Champion.  
  
Today, on the 13th day of their absence, the 3rd day of her victory, she sat upon her throne, waiting for a challenge to come her way. It was quite the spacious room, and sometimes she had even fallen asleep in this place. She still could sleep just about anywhere, much to Rotom's amazement. Her pokémon were all out and about, either sparring to keep their skills sharp or playing and conversating to get to know one another. She figured she might as well allow them to stretch their legs while they waited.  
  
Tsareena and Primarina were duking it out, Primarina blasting bubbles and Tsareena throwing kicks with it's strong legs. As for Mimikyu and Sylveon, they were merely playing under the watch of the elder dragon, Drampa, who occasionally chided their play when it got too rough. Then there was her Persian, who sat beside her throne with it's head leaned against one of the arm rests. She pet it's head gently, observing the battle between Primarina and Tsareena intently, every once in a while chiming in with advice for one of them.  
  
It was already noon, and it had been a long and uneventful morning. Occasionally, someone from the Elite 4 stopped in to give her some food, or a delivery man she had called for did. She had already had her breakfast and lunch, so she didn't expect to hear the loud noise of the elevator down the stairs leading to this arena arriving at the top until dinner time rolled around. However, even over all the noise of her pokémon, she could hear it. The unmistakable sound she had grown so accustomed to.  
  
As soon as it did, everyone stopped. Their ears twitched as they all heard the noise. The pokémon, just like their trainer, knew that it was unlikely it was someone come to bring more food. They too had grown used to the schedule around this place. There was no voice to call out to Moon. To notify her who they were. Even someone of the Elite 4 did this before she heard the sound of footsteps climbing the staircase. But this time, that didn't happen. There was no voice before the footsteps.  
  
Aside the more quiet steps, she could make out more thunderous steps. Almost like something heavy was on it's way up as well. Sylveon and Mimkyu pulled off each other and stood up, while Primarina and Tsareena immediately ceased their battle and turned to watch the staircase intently. Everyone was tense as the steps got closer and further up the stairs. But Moon didn't stop petting her Persian. She could feel the tensity in the air. Something didn't feel quite right here. But why?  
  
She found her answer as a figure and their pokémon emerged over the steps to meet her eyes. And she froze in shock. The pokémon itself was one she recognized, identical to the one Hala had brandished in her very first Grand Trail; Crabominable. It was still sturdy looking, and upon seeing it, explained instantly the louder steps she had heard. According to Rotom's data, Crabominables were typically almost 400 Ibs. She was surprised the floor and stairs didn't crack under it's feet. But then, there was it's trainer, who shocked her even more.  
  
One of the only 2 boys she hadn't seen in so long now, her rival; Hau.  
  
He didn't look disheveled, or injured, or anything of the sort. He looked almost exactly as he did the last time she saw him. Completely fine. Which told her that he definitely disappeared voluntarily. Upon looking at his face, she didn't see much emotion. He wasn't smiling, no, but he didn't appear angry or sad or anything. He just looked...apprehensive. Her shocked expression faded as she gave him a stern look. No matter the reason he was even here right now, he was here. Which meant one thing for sure...  
  
"So...you finally decided to come out of hiding?"  
  
He narrowed his eyes at her before answering, "It was never  _me_ that was hiding, Moon. You know why I did what I did."  
  
She pursed her lips at this. Already he was on the defensive and deflecting. Which meant he had no intention on telling her Gladion's whereabouts. Perhaps not even his well being. For the first time, she began to wonder if this was out of cruelty. She  _wanted_ to trust his judgement. But that was getting more difficult with each passing day. And it certainly didn't get any easier with this being his first words to her since their last encounter. She narrowed her eyes back at him.  
  
"Yeah, I know why. Or at least, I  _thought_ I knew."  
  
And truthfully, she really had no idea anymore. She wanted to think it was just because he was terrified of losing him. After all, even though Lillie had started her trials, she still had to return to Aether House before dark. And Gladion, not even being a trial-goer, would be no exception. Despite their rights, Lillie couldn't be housed in Po Town, and Hau would absolutely not be able to legally drag Gladion around wherever he pleased. He was only allowed this luxury before as Gladion himself was but a runaway.  
  
But now the police were much too closely involved in this to even  _think_ about hiding in plain sight.  
  
Hau bit his lower lip for a moment. He seemed to be struggling in just talking about this with her. He truthfully wanted to tell her everything, that was only fair. But his fear restrained him. "He really is getting the treatment he needs, Moon. I just...can't let anyone know where he is. If I do...he'll be taken away from me again," he explained. Moon took a deep breath. Just as she predicted, he was letting his fear and self-doubt control his actions rather than his common sense.  
  
"You won't  _always_ be able to protect him, you know."  
  
Hau scowled at this, "You're the one who said you trusted me, weren't you...?!"  
  
She winced at this. True as it were, she  _did_ trust him with Gladion. At the very least, she could say he was well-intentioned. Things had just gotten so complicated so fast. But she knew she wasn't the right person to talk him down. The only one who could was Gladion. And judging from his condition the last time she saw him, that wasn't going to be a conversation anytime soon. Or at least, not for a little while. Which meant continuing to butt heads with him about this was pointless.  
  
And that left only one other thing for them to do here.  
  
"...So, since you're not here to confess, there's only  _one_ other reason you must be here."  
  
Hau's scowl faltered as he gave her a sorrowful look. She had already hit it on the mark. He felt bad about it, but he had never come here intending to give her closure. At least...not yet. But that day was getting farther and farther away as his mind seemed to shut itself off to the question of when he would. He had already tried to complete his trials in order to take his mind off of the lack of progress in Gladion's recovery. While he became healthier, he was still not awake. And it was torture for both of the boys.  
  
He took a deep breath before answering her, "...I'll be honest Moon, it's been hard for me to find a reason to smile lately. To enjoy  _anything_."  
  
She raised a brow at him in curiosity, but he continued before she could ask him to elaborate.  
  
"You don't know how much it hurts to watch him suffer through night terror after night terror that he can't even wake up from. I want to help him. B-But I can't...and it's the  _worst_. But, I don't think this would be a real fight if I was allowed to mess around, either. To be 'Myself'. I know I have to take this seriously."  
  
He turned his head up to look in the eye again. He hesitated as he spoke, "So when I fight you today..." He trailed off, looking down at his hands for a moment. He shook his head, pumping his fist and giving her a determined look. She recognized that glint. It made her eyes wide as she ceased moving her hand to pet her Persian finally. "I refuse to give it anything less than the best I've got!" Hau declared. Moon was silent for a few short moments, staring at him in bewilderment.  
  
Then, she smirked, and stood up from her throne.   
  
She reached into her purse, pulling out one of her pokéballs, preparing to call back her pokémon and leave one out to start the battle. There was still a lot that had been itching at the back of her head, and they would definitely have a lot they needed to talk about at some point. But for now, there was only one thing the two of them stood here to achieve above all else. "...Then welcome to the arena, Hau. Let's see if you can dethrone Alola's newest Queen~" she jeered.  
  
He returned her smug smirk with one of his own, " _You're on_."

* * *

  
_For what must've been the hundredth time since...well, I don't even_ ** _know_** _how long, I had yet another recurring nightmare. My memory was completely tainted with the trauma of my capture, my unwilling venture into Ultra Space, and ultimately, my_ ** _hideous_** _transformation. I wanted so badly to be done with this torture already. I knew I was alive, but I wasn't awake. I couldn't get myself up. And everything hurt. It was almost borderline sleep paralysis, in a way. Yet, I wasn't truly conscious, either._  
  
_In between all these horrid images I could hear his voice. I tried to talk back. But I could only do so much here. I had no idea if my words carried over anymore. Was it even really him? Was I just imagining him there to make things easier on myself? I had no memory of what happened to me when the Nihilego forced itself into my head completely. And...yet...it seemed somewhere in my subconscious it still lingered. The images of my pokémon, but not themselves. With haunting amber eyes._  
  
_Zoroark, Umbreon, Lycanroc, Crobat. Even my Silvally. They all looked...lifeless. Like puppets. The same way I had_ ** _felt_** _just before the Nihilego had completely wiped my memory. Yes, that was definitely all it had done to me. Faintly in this never-ending nightmare I began to recall things that I had said...things that I had_ ** _done_** _. And they all disgusted me. And sure, it may have just been a mad musing of my imagination...but I seriously doubted it. My nightmares were always based on memory, never fiction._  
  
_What I was seeing was based on something I just couldn't recall on my own. But that's what made me hate it even more. I felt guilt and shame listening to myself._ ** _Looking_** _at myself. How could I say such cruel things to him? How could I talk about my own pokémon like that? Hau was right about me. I'd become nothing more than my mother. Even if the Nihilego had shredded every lesson I had ever learned, every bit of reason I had left to stay with Hau, they were all my words._  
  
_I was just wandering in the endless starscape of the Nihilego's home. I wouldn't say I was walking on air, really. But, I wouldn't call it_ ** _floating_** _,_   _either. It's all I ever saw, even when I heard Hau's voice. When I felt his touch. He was just a breath away from me and yet I couldn't reach him. It was nothing but agony. I wondered at times...was I even rescued in the first place? Or was that some grand illusion I invented in my head to delude myself from the truth?_  
  
_Is...that why there's nothing here for me other than distant memories? Was Hau still fighting me? I have to wake up! I have to wake up and stop this! I don't want to hurt him. I don't want to make him hurt_ ** _me_** _. Oh, who am I kidding? He probably_ ** _hates_  ** _me now. Nice going, Gladion...you made a fool of yourself yet again. Maybe I was already dead. Maybe this wasn't even a dream. Just some purgatory I was trapped in. What a cruel fate that would be..._  
  
_I stopped in my tracks._  
  
_I noticed...a wilted petal laying on the invisible floor I appeared to be standing on. I bent down and picked it up, examining it carefully. This was...new. There were no flowers to be seen around here. Or, so I thought. As I stood back up and looked around again, I realized I was no longer in the starscape I had been trapped in for Arceus knows how long. It was still dark, but much less so. The only light in the sky was quite literally clouded by what_ ** _looked_** _like a thunderstorm...but there was no rain._  
  
_As I looked around, I began to notice I was standing in an endless field of flowers again. Only this time, they were all dead. Wilted and withered away as if dried up. Was this...the flower field I had seen before? I turned around, and I froze._ ** _He_** _was standing there with his back turned to me. I'm not sure if he noticed me at all. There was a strong wind blowing through the area, rustling the rugged flowers and breaking their petals off by force. He suddenly turned around and looked at me._  
  
_He wasn't smiling. He looked as if he had suffered a great loss as he looked at me. Like he was...mourning. When he turned around completely to face me I saw his eyes glaze over. It started to hit me how odd this was. It had felt like ages since I had seen anything besides the hellish starscape that accompanied my nightmarish memories. The only time I saw this flower field was...when I had to let go of something. He looked at me expectantly, and it seemed like he was nervous._  
  
_I was starting to realize what it was this meant. This place...it was my gateway home. I would be free soon. But there was still one thing holding me back. I had to let go of everything. Everything that chained me down to these awful nightmares I was resigned to. Hau had been the one who taught me just how to conquer my fear. But now all this self doubt and guilt was what kept me stuck in this place. Was that why the field had wilted? Did my anxiety overshadow my joy in this place?_  
  
_Every time I'd been here...I felt warm. Now it was cold, just like the starscape. I held back my tears and took a deep breath. This wouldn't be easy, but nothing had been up to this point. The petal was still in my hand. And as I curled my fingers over it to clench my hand, I closed my eyes. All the voices that had been in my head were overlapping each other violently and mercilessly. All the taunts and bitter truths that plagued me ran through my head at once as I tried to focus._  
  
_**"You know you're stupid, right? And reckless?"**  
  
**"You left me behind! And don't tell me you were gonna come back for me! You and I both know you're too much of a coward!"**  
  
**"Why are you leaving...?"**  
  
**"Do you get it yet, kid? You can't beat me."**  
  
**"Look at that Gladion. You did that. That was you. It's dead now, and it's all your fault."** _  
  
_I turned my hand over, and opened it to release the petal from my grasp and opened my eyes. As soon as I did, I noticed it wasn't wilted anymore. None of the flowers were. They were all blooming like normal. And the wind had died down as well. I looked up, and I found the clouds had left as well, leaving a clear blue sky where the sun's warmth enveloped me from above. That warm feeling returned to me, as I turned to look at Hau again. He was smiling. I couldn't help but return his smile with one of my own._  
  
_As he held out his hand to me, I began approaching him, reaching out to touch his hand._  
  
_Then...it all went dark again._

* * *

  
He sat up, gasping almost as if sucking in oxygen he had been deprived of. He was in a literal cold sweat, and breathed heavily as soon as he was conscious that he was awake. The sound and movement was enough to awaken another sleeping boy in the room. The younger one opened his eyes slowly, moaning tiredly. However, it didn't take him long to register that the blonde had awoken and appeared panicked. As soon as he did, he was wide awake as well, sitting up from his position slumping onto the older boy's lap.  
  
"GLADION!!!"  
  
Gladion turned his head to look at the younger boy. His eyes were glazed over, and it was clear he was fighting the urge to burst out into tears right there. Gladion was still trying to discern whether or not he was still dreaming. After all, the end was rather abrupt. "H-Hau?!" he called, almost in utter disbelief. Hau didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around his companion, keeping a tight grip on him. Almost as if he were mortified that Gladion may slip through his fingers if he didn't hold on tight enough.   
  
"Oh Arceus, you're awake...!"  
  
Hau began sobbing into Gladion's shoulder, and the older boy could feel him shaking. Just how long had the younger boy been here, fussing over him? He couldn't even imagine. His memory began slowly returning to him as he recalled the last thing he heard before he went under. He remembered being in Hau's arms, feeling so weak he could barely speak, and Hau's confession. He even recalled Hau's soft singing that lulled him to sleep. He too began feeling overwhelmed with emotion as he recalled this, and he couldn't help the tears that streamed down his face. He wrapped his arms around Hau to return his hug.  
  
"Hau...i-it wasn't just a dream...?"  
  
He had hoped to Arceus it wasn't. Hell, he hoped to Arceus that  _this_ wasn't. Hau shook his head. Any doubt Gladion may have had about either was shattered when he spoke up again. "No... _never_." Hau reached up one of his hands to brush against the older boy's cheek. This made him blush, and it only got worse when Hau met his eyes and smiled sweetly. "You're ok..." he cooed. Gladion could've stared into Hau's eyes for hours. They brought him such comfort after the hell he had endured.  
  
He captured his companion's lips in a soft but passionate kiss. One that Hau melted into completely. Every single time they embraced like this, they couldn't help but feel whole. Nothing was ever off or remotely plaguing their minds when they shared moments such as this. This was no exception. The embrace instantly brought their thoughts to an ease. They slumped into each other, almost clumsily in their desperate attempt to make sure they never let go of the other. A minute passed, and Gladion was forced to pull back for air.  
  
They were both exhausted, mentally and physically. But Hau could tell when he had touched Gladion's face. His fever was completely demolished. He had been cured of his poisoning completely. That brought him even more relief. He wasn't sure if he could endure another heart attack like before. Once Gladion caught his breath, he finally began getting to the bottom of things. On first glance, he definitely didn't recognize the room. And his last memory didn't answer that gap, either. Hau was his only lifeline here.  
  
"H...How long have I been out? Where are we?"  
  
Hau's heart sank with heavy despair. And it reflected in his eyes. Even before he averted them downwards, Gladion could tell something was wrong. Perhaps he should've given Hau time. After all, this was rather sudden. Judging from Hau's reaction to his awakening, he had to have been here for quite some time. But how  _much_ time was the question. "...Hau?" he called, making sure his tone was gentle. He didn't want to back Hau into a corner like a wild pokémon, after all.  
  
"You've...been in a coma for 2 weeks."  
  
Gladion's eyes widened as he was wrought with shock. An entire 2  _weeks_? Sure, it could have been much worse. He knew many people could be comatose for months or even years on end. And yet, this news was utterly startling. " _2_   _weeks_?!" he yelped. Hau nodded, letting go of Gladion as he shuffled to turn away from him on his seat. "Mmhm. I've...been taking care of you. Right now, we're back on Akala. I-In Paniola Town. This is my mom's house." Now things were starting to make a bit more sense.  
  
That certainly explained the familiar bad odor of unfitting incenses clashing together. Then he began to wonder what exactly it was he had missed. A couple of weeks was not long, but still, surely things had changed at least a little bit. "Wh-what's happened, since I've been out?" Hau glanced at him, blinking as if he wasn't expecting the question just yet. "A couple of things. For one, Moon become the first Regional Champion of Alola," he explained. The blonde was baffled again, "She...did?"  
  
Hau nodded once again, "Mmhm. I challenged her as soon as I heard." He looked up, though it seemed he was staring off into space as he spoke. "I finished up the rest of my trials on Poni Island first, of course. Then I went up to Lanakila Mountain to battle her. On my way up, my Crabrawler evolved from all the cold weather," he explained. The older boy stared at him for a moment before asking the obvious question, "Did you win?" To his surprise, Hau smiled half-heartedly and began to chuckle slightly.  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"Heh...no. I gave it my all, too."  
  
He turned his head to look at Gladion again before continuing, "But...that's ok. I never really wanted the title. I just wanted to have a fun battle with her." The outcome while predictable still left Gladion surprised. Though, that was probably due to the suddenness of all this. His mind wandered again as he remembered his sister. "...And...what about Lillie? Is she safe?" Hau couldn't look him in the eye again as he looked down sadly and turned his head away again. This only served to worry Gladion.  
  
"Hau?"  
  
"She's fine."  
  
He raised a brow a this. If that were so, why was he acting so apprehensive and hesitating so much? To his surprise, he continued, "The Alolan courts are...trying to figure out what to do now that your mother is gone." It hit Gladion like a ton of bricks as soon as Hau admitted it. That one detail that explained just about everything that escaped his personal deduction. The gaps in his knowledge were already starting to fill themselves. But Hau still wasn't done.  
  
"Wicke is partially responsible for your neglect, so she can't take custody of you guys. Lillie was kind of upset by all of it, so she started taking the trials to clear her head of it."  
  
Gladion was left to ask the one question he hadn't even considered. This single detail changed his perception of the situation drastically. It all began to make sense now. Hau's poor eye contact, his hesitation, the fact that Gladion was in his mother's house and not a hospital. There would be no other reason for Hau to bring him here of all places. If it were truly as he thought it was, what he  _feared_ it was...No, he had to hear it for himself. Hau was the only one who  _could_ tell him what he needed to know.  
  
"...Does anybody know that I'm here?"  
  
He saw Hau flinch and bite his lip immediately. He gripped the pant legs of his shorts, his eyes obscured by the single strand of hair that escaped his hair clip. Gladion didn't bother trying to regain Hau's attention. He knew that Hau was merely hesitating. He gave him time to compose himself. Surely, he had his reasons if what he was thinking was true. Hau began shaking and Gladion could see tears drip onto his shorts from his face. To his surprise, Hau managed to speak up again through his sobs.  
  
"I-I know it's selfish...a-and...I'll be in a lot of trouble."  
  
Hau took a shaky breath before continuing, "B-But I don't  _care_!" Gladion's eyes widened in shock. It was starting to sink in for him just how much Hau had been affected by all that had happened, just like he had been. Hau sniffled as he continued, "I don't wanna have to let go of you, Gladion! I just got you back!" The blonde felt guilt wash over him instantly. Of course Hau wanted to hide him! He had constantly let Gladion slip through his grasp, and Gladion was nearly lost because of it.  
  
Sure, he didn't blame Hau for these things, but that's undoubtedly how his partner saw it. He felt like a failure. Like he couldn't forgive himself if he ever let something else take Gladion away from him. Gladion couldn't even blame him for thinking this way. He had been in this mindset of trying to rectify his failures before. Of course, they were all reckless attempts that blew up in his face, but emotion had blinded him in those moments. Gladion probably would've tried to do the same thing in Hau's shoes.  
  
"Hau..."  
  
To his surprise, Hau turned his head up to look at him again. He had tears streaming down his face, and he was squinting his eyes at Gladion through all of his sobbing. It was likely his vision was blurred by all his crying. And his face was red with embarrassment. He felt like a total fool. "I'm sorry, I didn't know what else to do! I just...wanted to keep you safe!" Gladion couldn't bare to listen to it anymore. His heart ached with just how much pain he had caused Hau. He pulled him back into another tight embrace.  
  
"S-Stop...no more crying. I  _hate_ seeing you so upset," he sighed. Hau froze for a moment in the embrace, his eyes widening. However, his face contorted in sorrow again as he began to weep. He clutched to Gladion's chest desperately. He was shaking again as he sobbed between his words. "Gladion... _please_...just stay here. Y-You don't have to go!" Gladion pet his head gently, trying to ease his nerves. He had to calm him down. As much as he understood his reasons, he still couldn't stay here.  
  
"I know you're scared. And...I am too."  
  
"Yeah, I  _am_ scared..."  
  
"But I need you to listen to me-"  
  
Hau knew what was coming, and he  _didn't_ want to hear it. He pushed Gladion off, glaring at him impatiently. Why did he have to leave?! Didn't he  _care_?! Hau had gone through so much just to make sure he was safe again. He couldn't let something else just sweep him away again. He loved Gladion too much to let go of him now. Why couldn't they just be together? Why did things have to be so complicated? He knew he wouldn't be able to avoid this, but...he had hoped Gladion would understand.  
  
"No! I don't want you to go! If you do, I'll never see you again!"  
  
Hau was caught off-guard when Gladion suddenly grabbed his shoulders and glared back at him. He silenced him as he yelled his name. "HAU!" He stared back in shock, not expecting him to push back like this. Gladion's glare softened as he took pity on the younger boy. Even his grip on his shoulders loosened. "...I need you to trust me. Can you do that?" Despite fearing Gladion's decision, Hau couldn't deny that even now, he did indeed trust his companion. He nodded, "M-Mmhm...!"  
  
"I  _promise_...it won't be forever. I'll come back to you."  
  
"You  _can't_ promise that...! You don't know what will happen!"  
  
" _Hau_."  
  
"I can't-"  
  
" _I love you_ , Hau!"  
  
Hau gasped in surprise. It was only the second time he had heard the blonde say these words to him. And they certainly weren't less shocking the second time around. But just as well, they were annoyingly convincing, too. He sobbed, looking down again as he tried to hold back his tears. "Kh..." Gladion had tensed temporarily, but the elongated silence told him he could calm himself. He eased off on Hau's shoulders again as his face calmed. He slowly opened his eyes that had shut tightly upon yelling again.  
  
"...I love you. So I need you to trust me when I say that I'll return to you. I don't care what happens. I  _won't_ leave you behind. Do you understand, mon cher?"  
  
The younger boy was silent again for a few moments, before he nodded. "I love you too..." he whispered, sniffling as he wiped his own tears away. The older boy gave him a soft smile, grabbing both of his hands to intertwine their fingers. "...I'm glad I met you, Hau." That was the last nail in the coffin for Hau. He leaned forward and kissed Gladion again, this time, much more passionately than before. They both embraced each other tightly as their tongues danced together in a long and emotional kiss.  
  
They both still had tears to shed. Neither one of them really wanted this to be goodbye. It lasted a long 5 minutes before they finally pulled away from each other again. They both gasped for breath, having not given themselves a break for so long. Once they both relaxed, Gladion looked into Hau's eyes again. "Before I go...there's still one thing I need to know." Hau raised a brow at this. There was still much he had yet to explain, but it was curious that Gladion only needed to know one thing.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"How...how did you guys know where to find me?"  
  
"...H-Huh?"  
  
"S-Sorry, I meant...when I was captured at the motel. You guys were able to find me at Aether Paradise in just a day, I-I think. How did you figure it out? There wasn't a trace of where I went when I was taken away."  
  
"O-Oh! Well...at first, we thought you were captured by the Skull Gang."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Hau turned his head back and pointed to a Lucario that was standing in the room. Somehow Gladion had failed to notice it this entire time. He blinked at it. While he didn't instantly recognized it, he could tell it much resembled the Riolu that followed him. Which quickly brought him to infer as such. "Is that...?" Hau nodded, "He evolved when we were breaking into Aether Paradise. Rotom was able to translate for us, and Lucario here told us it saw you with some members of the Skull Gang."  
  
"Lucario...you helped save me?" Gladion breathed. The Lucario nodded, "Car." Gladion couldn't help but smile, and gave it a pat on it's head as it approached the bed. "Heh...thanks, buddy." Hau interrupted the moment as he continued. "But when we got there, everyone was confused. That's when Professor Burnet called us." Gladion's eyes widened, "Burnet?! Oh Arceus! She must be worried sick! I was calling her when I got kidnapped and I-" Hau held up a hand to stop him, "We know. That's why she called."  
  
Gladion raised a brow at this, but still, Hau continued. "She was trying to trace the call since she couldn't understand what she heard from the other end when you dropped the tablet. That's when she heard someone say something about taking you to your mother." Gladion blinked in shock. Burnet truly was a lifesaver. "So we got Lillie and her boss, Guzma, to come help us infiltrate the place. And...that's how we figured out where to find you," Hau finally finished. Gladion blinked, realizing there was one other part of this that didn't make sense.  
  
"And...Ultra Space? How did you open another wormhole?"  
  
"Oh, well, after you were taken, Lillie's pokémon Cosmog kind of...evolved. But it wasn't moving or responding to us. Professor Wicke told us about these flutes that could summon a legendary pokémon that could take us to find you."  
  
"Just like...that passage we read."  
  
"Mm. But when we got the flutes and played them, Lillie's pokémon evolved into the legendary pokémon, Lunala! It was  _crazy_!"  
  
"W-Woah...I-I see. So that's how you got there. And that's probably how you got back, too, huh?"  
  
Hau nodded again, "Yeah. O-Oh!" He got up, going over to a certain corner of the room and grabbing a rather familiar looking red satchel bag and handing it to his partner. "H-Here. It still has all your pokémon. They're fine. We've been letting them out every once in a while to get some fresh air. They've all been pretty worried about you..." he explained. The blonde sifted through his bag, finding that Hau was indeed telling the truth. He sighed in relief and smiled. But as he looked inside, he realized, he still had a 6th pokéball that was unused.  
  
The same one he had tried to use on the young Riolu.  
  
He shot a glanced at the Lucario again, who seemed to almost instantly understand what he had been silently asking. Slowly, he pulled the pokéball out, a Quick Ball, and showed it to Lucario. "You've been a big help to me. I know you're a little shy...but I'd love to have you on my team, if that's ok," he offered. The Lucario sniffed at the ball gently, examining it carefully. Then, it nodded and stepped back. Hau moved out of the way so Gladion didn't have to worry about hitting him, watching curiously as Gladion winded his arm back.  
  
The older boy threw the ball, and once it tapped against Lucario's temple, it was consumed in a white light before the ball snapped shut and fell to the floor. It wobbled for a bit, before it clicked with success. Slowly, and with Hau's help, Gladion got up onto his feet to pick it up and put it into his bag. Hau fussed over him, still worried about his well-being. "I-I know it's only been a couple weeks, but do you need help walking?" he asked. Gladion nodded, "Y-Yeah...I think I might have to have Zoroark carry me."  
  
Hau nodded dejectedly as he looked down, "Oh...ok." The older boy gave him a pitiful look before cupping his cheek in his hand again. He rubbed his thumb along his cheek gently to soothe him. "Hey," he called. Hau instantly looked up at him, completely enamored. "I'll be fine. I promise. You know I love you..." he cooed. Hau nodded, blushing slightly. "I know. I love you too. You better keep your promise, you hear?" Gladion gave him a bemused smile as he let a soft chuckle escape him.  
  
"Don't worry, mon cher. Nothing could keep me from you."  
  
"Hehe...I guess you're right about that."  
  
Gladion reluctantly took his hand away, taking out Zoroark's pokéball to call it out. He slumped into Zoroark's arms, his legs already starting to give out. Zoroark quickly picked him up, fussing over it's master's condition. Gladion gave it a weak smile, "I'm ok, I'm ok. I just...need help getting out of here. I need to get to the Ferry Station. You know where to go?" Zoroark nodded, giving Hau a friendly and thankful nuzzle as a farewell before exiting the room with it's master still in it's arms. Hau stared on sadly, restraining himself from stopping them.  
  
"...I'll be waiting for you, alola."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Colored a doodle I made of the ending of Chapter 53, go have a looksies .w.  
> (I'm not good at backgrounds pls forgive me ;w; )
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/artgurusauce/art/You-re-Ok-No-Background-806472163


	57. Chapter 56 - Teach Me How To Say...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a long couple of months, things begin to change for the better as everyone starts to get their lives back in order.

As expected, things had unfolded rather slowly the past couple of months. Things had gone back to normal, for the most part. Of course, a few things felt different or out of place. Guzma had been sure to keep a close eye on his youngest, Strelitzia for a while now. He wasn't really sure if she completely understood the situation in it's entirety. Despite still being in constant contact with Lillie, it obviously didn't feel the same without her actually being there. And he couldn't even blame her for feeling that way.  
  
From time to time of course, he would hear from her. Asking for advice, sending him pictures of the places she'd been exploring, and of course, confiding in him about her brother. It was a surprise to everyone when they found out he was safe and sound. Acerola certainly wasn't expecting to see the poor boy being cradled by his pokémon on her front door step. She was utterly flustered. Lillie was of course relieved to see that he was fine, but Guzma was the only one she would  _dare_ tell.  
  
Surprisingly, it hadn't been long before he was fostered. Nobody had seen head or hide of him since. Lillie appeared to be too apprehensive to give her brother a way to contact her. Truthfully, Guzma wasn't sure how to handle these types of things. He had grown up an only child, much like Hala's grandson. Which meant sibling squabbles were probably his weakest point when it came to children. Of course, this had much more magnitude than your average noogie or stealing someone else's things out of spite.  
  
Which only made giving her advice all the more complicated. Plumeria was unfortunately much the same. So all she could give him was a simple, "Just tell her what sounds right." And that was that. Of course, he still held the same opinion as he had for a long time now. Despite wanting to help her get stronger and better herself, he knew the revenge she was seeking was but hollow. Especially with the details of their abuse she had disclosed. Still, he knew better than to question her motives.  
  
He had to be careful about this.  _Very_ careful.  
  
Elsewise he'd end up doing more damage than good. And that was the  _last_ thing he wanted to do right now. Despite Plumeria's attempts to console him, and Lillie's forgiveness, he still felt a mass amount of guilt towards the poor girl. There were probably a million better ways he could've handled this. And while he wasn't partial to blame Plumeria as much anymore, circumstances were left open for all of them to think long and hard about the mistakes they made. What they could've done differently.  
  
Of course, after Nanu's clear disdain for how the case closed, it was no surprise that Guzma was even more on edge when he was called upon by him today. There wasn't a whole lot left to interpretation on being summoned by him. Worst case scenario; He'd lost his witness protection and Nanu was going to have to give him up. But Guzma wouldn't make a fuss this time if that were the case. Perhaps after all this, he deserved it. It didn't take him long to get there, and it took a lot of mental battling to convince himself not to turn back now and try to save face.  
  
As soon as he entered, all was as usual. The place was littered with Meowths. It was dark. Save of course for a single lightbulb dangling over a table in the back. Which coincidentally, is where he found Nanu sitting with a bunch of papers in his hand. As soon as their eyes met, Nanu raised a brow at him impatiently. "Well? Ya gonna sit down, or what?" Guzma sighed heavily, but complied without sarcasm for once. He just wanted to get whatever this was over with. He slumped in his chair across from Nanu at the table, clearly exhausted and looking defeated.  
  
"Let's just get this shit over with, already...what's the damage?"  
  
Nanu blinked, "Damage? Quite the opposite, Guzma."  
  
Guzma raised a brow at this, "What?"  
  
Without further explanation, Nanu carelessly tossed the papers onto the table. They slid across over to Guzma's side, allowing him to examine them. Of course, he didn't understand most of the legal jargon on them. It was a solid minute before he looked up at Nanu and asked, "What the hell is this?" Nanu rolled his eyes. Sometimes the big oaf really was an illiterate numbskull. He took a deep breath to restrain himself from snapping before he sat forward and admitted the truth, bluntly.  
  
"They're custody appeal papers, Guzma."  
  
Guzma's eyes were blown wide as he flinched involuntarily. Did he hear that right? That surely must've been his ears failing him, right? There was no way Nanu called him down here to offer him adoption papers. After how their mission concluded. After all he confessed to doing. That just didn't make any sense. Nanu sneered at him impatiently and slumped back in his chair. "I better get a pay for cut this you know. It wasn't easy making a case for you," he groaned. Guzma scowled.  
  
"Nanu, what the hell?!"  
  
"You're welcome, much? I did you a favor here."  
  
"Nanu, I can't adopt these kids!"  
  
"And why not? You adopted like 30 before, right?"  
  
Guzma began to sweat a little at this line of questioning. It took him a moment to formulate a proper response. And of course, he stumbled. "That's... _way_ different." Guzma shook his head, leaning his arms on the table as he leaned forward. "Nanu, what I did to that girl-" Nanu interrupted him, his brow still raised at him.  _That_ was why Guzma was making such a fuss? Sometimes this man utterly baffled Nanu. "What you did  _to_ her? I think you mean what you did  _for_ her," he interjected. Guzma recoiled back at this, and Nanu sighed again.  
  
"Listen, this whole situation is a real  _mess_. And obviously you guys ain't no angels. But I know that you cared a lot about her. If you didn't, you wouldn't have told Lusamine to go fuck herself like that. You woulda kept on bein' your normal, selfish, stupid self."  
  
Guzma was starting to run out of reasons to argue this. Mostly because he knew was Nanu was right, even with all his guilt. Still, there was a lot of complications to come with this. After all, nothing changed the fact he was still a questionable person. Nanu himself had said it was difficult to make a case for him, after all. That, and among other things, he was still a criminal. He wasn't sure if he'd ever give up the shady lifestyle he'd become accustomed to. At least, not so easily. And those kids still needed him.  
  
"...N-Nanu I...I don't..." he hesitated. Nanu patiently awaited his answer, staring him down. He was ready to kick every little seed of doubt Guzma still had out of his head. "I can't raise those kids in Po Town. It's not a proper home for them," Guzma argued. Nanu rolled his eyes impatiently, "Then buy one. Something around here. I  _know_ you've got money laying around. Otherwise what the hell are you even charging me out the ass by the month for?" Guzma was silent. He just couldn't think of any other protest to this. Nanu leaned forward again.  
  
"Don't be a dumb ass, Guzma. Take this. That little girl looks up to you and that boy don't got anywheres else to go. I'd hate to see him have to be shuffled into foster care where it's unlikely he'd see that boyfriend of his."  
  
"...Nanu, I-I don't know what to say."  
  
"Don't say shit. Just sign the papers and show up to court. And for Arceus sake, dress up like a respectable fuckin' adult for once."  
  
Guzma gave a half-hearted smirk, allowing himself to chuckle darkly. "...Yeah. I can do that. Thank you, Nanu. This means a lot." Nanu rolled his eyes at him yet again as he waved him off with one of his hands. "Just shut up and sign the paper before I change my mind," he huffed impatiently. Guzma nodded, "Right." Nanu tossed him a pen, and watched quietly as Guzma signed the papers. He took a look at the signature, and pouted, pulling out 2 extra copies he had prepared.  
  
"Guzma...for the last time, your insignia is  _not_ a signature."  
  
"Son of a bitch..."

* * *

  
_"Gladion?"_  
  
_"O-Oh, Acerola. Is something wrong?"  
_  
_"Just the opposite, Gladion! Pack your things. You're being fostered!"  
  
"I-I am...? By who?"  
_  
_"Funny you should ask..."  
  
_It had been 2 months since Acerola had received that call. 2 months since he had been taken in. Of course, he didn't expect this last too long. Still, he didn't mind complying with the arrangement. Not after when he had learned who exactly it was that had fostered him. He slowly sat up in his makeshift bed, his blanket falling off of him as he rubbed his eyes tiredly. All his pokémon were still resting peacefully all over the room. His Crobat hung from the ceiling, it's 4 wings wrapped around it's body to keep itself concealed and warm.  
  
Zoroark was laid curled up in a ball by the bed, Lucario sat up against it tiredly. It almost appeared to be meditating. Umbreon was also curled up, sleeping in a box on a shelf that was stuffed with a fluffy pillow. As for Lycanroc and Silvally, they were both laid on opposite corners of the room, snoozing in awkward positions as Lycanroc was laying on it's back and Silvally was on it's side. Gladion yawned, looking out the window to find it was morning. He was also clued to this by the usual scent of his favorite breakfast in the other room.  
  
He got up, careful not to wake his pokémon as he grabbed his clothes and got changed. However, as soon as he came out, he found the usual sight of Zoroark sitting like a dog right outside the door of the bathroom. He smirked and gave a soft chuckle, petting it's head. Lucario had already appeared to have left the room, but that wasn't unusual. He had grown accustomed to Zoroark pretending to be asleep by now, however, the Lucario had definitely not. Zoroark's beaded fluff of mane flopped against the floor like a tail.  
  
Gladion stifled his giggle and shushed the fox pokémon. "Shhh, you'll wake the others. C'mon, let's go get some breakfast, enfant." Zoroark complied, quietly walking on it's fours to follow Gladion out of the room and directly into the dining room-kitchen where Lucario was leaned against the wall by the doorway. Gladion looked up at the figure still cooking by the stove as she fiddled with the pan. There was already food prepared on the table for him, as perusual. He smiled again as he approached his seat.  
  
"Good morning, maman."  
  
She turned her head, her platinum and messy ponytail flopping over her shoulder. "Ah, he's finally awake, now is he~?" she giggled. Gladion rolled his eyes, sitting in his seat at the table. "Well if I didn't have to stay up so late studying Kaloch I'd get up earlier, you know." Burnet rolled her eyes, "One or two extra minutes isn't staying up late, sweetie. Don't over-exaggerate." Zoroark sat at Gladion's feet, staring up at him as it's ponytail wagged back and forth.  
  
Gladion rolled his eyes, but indulged the greedy child as he did every morning. He plucked a raisin from one of the cinnamon rolls on his place and tossed it into Zoroark's mouth. Zoroark quickly chewed it up and swallowed it. It's face flushed happily, it's ponytail wagging even more as it cupped it's face in it's claws. Gladion shooed it with his hand, "Alright, alright, now go on and wait for your food." Zoroark nodded, obediently sitting beside Lucario who was also waiting for it's breakfast.  
  
Eventually Burnet had finished preparing the food in the pans she had over the stove and put them on a plate. She got to work, preparing the pokémon's breakfasts. As she did so, she continued conversation as Gladion started eating his breakfast. "Speaking of your study, tell me what 'Comment vous appelez-vous' means." Gladion rolled his eyes, "Maman, can't it at least wait until  _after_ breakfast?" Burnet smirked at him, "Wrong answer~" He groaned loudly.  
  
"It means 'What's your name'."  
  
She giggled, "Ok ok, I'll let you off the hook for now. How are your notes going?"  
  
"It's still a little difficult to remember everything, but I think I'm close to being done."  
  
"Don't strain yourself, honey. I know it hurts sometimes."  
  
"It's ok, maman. I'll be fine, even if I don't have the tea anymore..."  
  
She gave him a pitiful frown as she finished preparing Lucario and Zoroark's breakfast, putting them at different seats at the table before fetching her own plate to sit down across from Gladion. She could still see the hurt in his eyes. It was undeniable he had been much happier since coming to live with her, but still, nobody could've shaken the heart ache he must've suffered. "Do you still not want to talk about it...?" she prodded, gently. She did want to give him support, but only at his own pace.  
  
"I-I'm fine, really. I just..."  
  
"...You still miss him?"  
  
He nodded, "...Mmhm."  
  
She smiled sweetly at him again as she tilted her head at him. "You know, you never really told me what he was like." Gladion blushed at this. Had he really never caught her up on that part yet? He must've been distracted with trying not to think about it. Though, then again, it was hard  _not_ to. Then again, she surely knew him at least briefly through Kukui, right? He supposed he never really felt the need to explain, in that case. But he also knew that wasn't  _really_ what she meant by it, either.  
  
He became shy as he averted his eyes away from her and his blush got worse. "He's...really clever, and strong-willed. And he always does his best to cheer me up. And he's... _really_ stubborn. W-Which is a good thing, I mean!" Burnet tried and failed to stifle her giggles. He was already flustered. Ah, young love truly was a spectacle. He took a deep breath. But she was surprised when a warm smile crossed his face and he fidgeted with his hands. "His smile is... _infectious_ , maman."  
  
"Awww~! That's so cute! He sounds like a nice boy."  
  
"He is nice. Sometimes  _too_ nice, I think. And...he's kind of a reckless fool. But I'm not one to talk."  
  
"He always  _has_ been a bit audacious from  _my_ impressions of him."  
  
"Heh, yeah. That's one way to put it. He was my rock for a long time out here."  
  
"I can imagine so. Don't worry dear, I'm sure you'll be able to see him again soon. I mean, he traveled across  _dimensions_ just to find you, didn't he?"  
  
Gladion couldn't help a shy smile as he looked away and blushed in flattery. He took a bite of one of his cinnamon rolls again to cover this, but it unfortunately did not do much. Suddenly, the phone on the wall rang out and Burnet cried out in surprise. "Oh! That must be my husband. Hold that thought, Gladion," she said, getting up and pulling the phone off the receiver. "Hello~?" Gladion ignored her for the most part, focusing on finishing his food. He would need to wake up his pokémon soon, if the phone hadn't already stirred some of them.  
  
"Oh, Acerola! Hello again. What can I do for you?"  
  
It didn't go un-noticed when Burnet's face sudden fell with shock. Gladion immediately became apprehensive, and his brain had already began going at light speed with all sorts of explanations. None of them pleasant. Even his pokémon noticed the change in her tone. "O-Oh. I see...when do you need him?" She nodded a couple times, her expression getting more and more upset looking by the second. Zoroark whined a bit, worried deeply about the call just like it's master was.  
  
"I understand. I'll get right on it, thank you."  
  
She hung up the phone quietly, not daring to turn around for a few minutes. The silence became to agonizing to bear. Gladion lifted his head to look at her, "Maman? Is something wrong?" Burnet hesitantly turned to look at him. She was frowning, and her eyes were glazed over. "Nothing... _wrong_ , exactly, sweetie. That was Acerola on the other end." His face perked up a bit, but he was still suspicious. "What'd she want?" he asked. He immediately regretted asking as Burnet took a deep breath and answered honestly.  
  
"You and Lillie have been... _adopted_."  
  
Gladion's eyes went wide as he dropped his fork onto his plate. Even his pokémon appeared surprised at the news. Gladion blinked. Those were words he didn't realize he'd been dreading since moving in with Burnet. And now that he heard them, he was caught frozen. Burnet was worried by his silence, and rubbed her arm nervously. "Y-You don't have to leave right away. I just have to take you back to Aether House by the end of the week," she explained. Though, this explanation did nothing to ease his nerves.  
  
"Wh-who adopted us?"  
  
"I...don't know, I'm afraid. I'm sure it's all confidential."  
  
"I...I see..."  
  
He slumped back in his chair, running a hand through his bangs as he began to sweat a bit. He felt like the whole world was spinning. It wasn't even that he was devastated that someone wanted to take care of him. And perhaps now he would be able to get back into contact with Hau again. Still, he felt... _empty_. He had grown accustomed to Burnet's home, Burnet's cooking, Burnet's care. By all accounts, he had come to see her as his mother. To leave all that behind for someone he probably didn't know hurt like hell.  
  
After a few more minutes, he sighed and leaned forward on the table. Burnet slowly approached him from behind, wrapping her arms around him comfortingly. He gasped at this, being pulled out of his head yet again. He didn't even realize tears had been dripping off of his face. He took a deep and shaky breath, before darting out of his chair and embracing her fully. She gently ran her hands along his back and pet the back of his head to soothe him. Neither of them had noticed his other pokémon had woken and were watching from the doorway now.  
  
"Maman...?"  
  
"Yes, Gladion?"  
  
"I...I-I don't wanna go..."  
  
"I know, sweetie. I know you don't like this."  
  
She soothed him for 10 more minutes before pulling back to give him a warm smile. He was still sniffling, trying to wipe his own tears away but barely accomplishing much as they just kept coming. "Hey, this doesn't mean you'll never see me again, alright? You've got that new tablet I gave you with my number on it. So you can call me whenever you like. And you can come visit whenever you want." He sniffled and nodded, "I-I know, maman...I know. It just...doesn't feel the same."  
  
She frowned, "I know. But I can promise you, whoever it is that's taking you in, is going to take  _very_ good care of you."  
  
" _You_ take good care of me."  
  
"Not the point, dear. I trust Acerola and the court's judgement."  
  
"...What if I don't like them?"  
  
Burnet raised a brow at this. He elaborated without prompt, "I mean...wh-what if...what if they're just like Lusamine? What if they hurt me?" Burnet squatted down to meet his eyes, wiping his tears off of his face as she cooed to soothe him again. "Hey, shhh, that won't happen," she reassured. He sniffled again, "H-How do you know, maman?" She smiled at him, "Because like I said, I trust Acerola. She'd never let nasty people like that adopt you kids." She booped his nose playfully, "And, if they are, you can easily call me and I won't hesitate to come get you."  
  
He couldn't help but smile at the gesture briefly. But he frowned again quickly. He met her eyes again apprehensively, "You promise you won't forget about me?" Burnet nodded, standing up to pull him into another hug. "Oh of course not, Gladion. Don't be silly." He hesitated for a moment, before wrapping his arms around her to return the gesture. "I love you, maman," he sighed. She smiled down at him, "I love you too, honey." She planted a gentle kiss on his forehead, before pulling away from him again.  
  
She beamed, "Now wipe that frown off your face. We're going to have  _fun_ for the next few days. No more studying." Gladion's eyes widened at he blinked frantically. "Vraiment? Thank you, maman!" She giggled, happy to have made his smile return to him. She reached past him, picking up his now empty plate, "Alright alright, I'll let you stay in here to do whatever you'd like until my shift is over. Then, we can go wherever you'd like~ Sound good?" He nodded in excitement, darting into his room immediately as Lucario and Zoroark followed him.  
  
She let a sigh as soon as she was out of his line of sight and earshot. She washed the crumby and stained dishes quietly, trying not to let her own grief show plainly. She had to pull herself together if she was going to focus on her work today. Besides, right now, the boy needed her support and reassurance. She couldn't break down like a toddler. The phone rang again in the midst of her cleaning, and she was hesitant to pick it up this time. Though eventually she did. She sighed again as a smile crossed her face.  
  
"Ah, there you are, darling~"

* * *

  
It had been an incredibly long week, let alone a long month. The hard part had already concluded. At least, in terms of the kids. For Guzma and Plumeria both, all the commotion had exhausted them sufficiently. Between getting clothes that  _didn't_ look provocative or inappropriate, meeting court dates,  _and_ touring and buying their new house, they were ready to pass out for a few days at the very least. But of course, they pushed on despite this. They were much too determined to falter, especially now.  
  
Plumeria could only appear in the cases as support for Guzma. Which looked rather favorable for them. However, it made them incredibly uncomfortable having to play the part of a humble couple. After all, they hadn't really spoken about these things yet. Each agreed to "pretend" when the cameras were on them. They had both been so busy with all the paperwork and such they had no time to discuss when they were off, however. There hadn't really been a right moment, a right time.  
  
Yet still, Guzma prepare for such a moment or time. It was late, and they were slumped against the wall, sitting on the floor with one arm resting on one of their knees. They had spent nearly the whole day moving around brand new furniture into the house they had just purchased. It had been hours since they moved, and Plumeria had even caught Guzma snoring like a thunderstorm at one point. Of course, she quickly smacked him awake, agitated by the annoying sound of his sleep-induced screeching.  
  
Guzma looked up at the clock they had placed on the wall earlier that day. It was now nearly Midnight. In just a couple of days, the kids would be here. They were still flustered and unprepared. They didn't even have a plan as to their first conversation with them yet. Or even to the kids back in Po Town, who would undoubtedly hear about this. They would ask all sorts of questions. Some of them would feel hurt by it. Some of them would be excited. Some of them would ask if they were going to get married.  
  
Plumeria dreaded  _that_ question the most. She groaned as she ran a hand through her hair. Guzma glanced at her curiously, "Should I ask what's wrong or am I just gonna set off a minefield?" She shot him a nasty pout, but he couldn't help but find it cute. She huffed, "I'm just  _tired_ , ya big palooka." He couldn't help but chuckle, "What the hell do you  _mean_ yer tired? We've been sittin' on our asses for 6 hours!" She groaned and rolled her eyes, rolling her head back as well, " _Ugh_ , you know what I mean, asshole."  
  
"...Yeah. I'm tired too."  
  
"...Do ya think the boy's gonna like us?"  
  
"I dunno. But, so long as those kids make up, this'll all have been worth it."  
  
"If you say so."  
  
He fished through his pocket, checking his phone for what must've been the 50th time that day. Lillie hadn't texted him for quite some time now. He wondered if perhaps she was upset about the news. After all, the kids surely knew by now. He slumped his had against the wall again, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath. Plumeria gave him a pitiful look. "...You nervous?" she asked. He didn't even look at her, but he opened his eyes again before looking down at his phone.  
  
"Yeah, I'm nervous..." he admitted. Plumeria looked away from him again. She was silent for a few moments. She was hesitating to admit it herself. But the oaf needed comfort right now. And damn him, but he was much too compelling. "Me too." He shot her a surprised look at this. One she didn't acknowledge. She decided to elaborate before he asked the obvious question. "I mean...that boy and I didn't exactly part on  _friendly_ terms. It was only thanks to Nanu that part slipped out from under the courts."  
  
_Oh, that's right..._ he thought. He felt embarrassed he had forgotten about that part. He looked to the side nervously, trying to come up with some sage advice. Of course, she was much better at this than he was. So his attempt flopped immediately. "Maybe you could just try...actin' friendly?" She rolled her eyes at him. She knew he meant well, but his advice really was asinine at times. "Oh yeah,  _that_ won't be salt in the wound or anything," she spat, sarcastically.  
  
She sighed, "Sorry...just the exhaustion talking. I'll think of something, I'm sure." He gave her a pitiful look. He knew there really was no easy way to plan for this, even  _if_ they had all the time on the planet. He stared at the clock again as he changed the subject. "Do you ever think we might still be makin' a mistake...?" She shot him a perplexed glance that he didn't acknowledge, and frowned. "Sometimes...I dunno. Shit got complicated really quick. I just know this is somethin' I  _want_ , for once." He smirked and scoffed a bit, "Yeah, me too."  
  
They sat in silence for another 10 minutes. Plumeria occasionally glanced around the room to catch glimpses of their pokémon who were slumbering from their hard work. Golisopod and Salazzle were both curled up beside each other in the corner amongst the others. The sight brought her thoughts back to the lingering conversation both of them refuse to have up to now. But it was either now or never. She knew they would constantly put it off at this rate. At least, if neither of them spoke up. So, she took a deep breath.  
  
"Guz...we should talk."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About this paparazzi scam we're runnin' for the press."  
  
"I...don't follow."  
  
She shot him an impatient look as her face flushed. Immediately, he seemed to get the message as his own face flushed and he looked away apprehensively again. "O-Oh." It was silent between them for yet another minute before Plumeria elaborated. "I mean...I've been thinkin', maybe it wouldn't be  _so_ bad." Guzma's face flushed even more, "So, what, you'd  _want_ to get married or somethin'?" Her face turned red and she immediately began pulling his hair to punish him for the remark.  
  
A tear prick at one of his eyes as he hissed in pain, trying not to wake the slumbering pokémon. "O-Ow, ow...! Ok, I'm sorry, shit...!" She huffed, letting loose on him and crossing her arms as she crossed her legs. "Arceus, it's like your mouth and your brain don't even connect." Guzma rubbed at his now aching head as he pouted. She took a deep breath before continuing as her scowl faltered. "No. That's not what I meant," she clarified. He was hesitant to ask, but he went through with it anyways, being slow so he was careful not to set her off again.  
  
"W...Wh-what  _did_ you mean...?"  
  
"...We've known each other for how long now, Guz?"  
  
He was silent for a moment. He blushed again as he rubbed the back of his neck. "21 years..." he said. It wasn't a guess. His tone was practically definitive. Which meant he had been counting, just like she was. "We've been doin' this for a long ass time. Building our empire, taking care of kids that were like us, tryin' to prove some shallow point." He didn't dare interrupt. For once, he was patiently listening to her. "I don't wanna play 'pretend' anymore, Guzma," she admitted.  
  
She looked him in the eye, and he saw that she had a star-struck look shining in her eyes. She brought her arms down, seeming hesitant to continue. But there was no eject button from this now. Certainly, this moment would define their lives in the coming years. And it wouldn't be easy to get past most of the hurdles that were still coming at them. However, they had both survived this long together. Doing this only made things all the more enjoyable for them. With a great mental leap, she took another deep breath.  
  
"...I want to be  _us_ for  _real_."  
  
He didn't have to ask what that meant. He knew full well. He just couldn't believe that it was happening. That was what had been so shocking to him. Finally after a few more moments of silence, he smirked and gently grabbed her hand. "You know what? That sounds like the best damn idea you've ever had." She stared at him, completely enamored for a moment. Then, she returned his smirk as their fingers intertwined. She scooted closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Good. Cause I'd have had to kick your ass if ya said no..."  
  
"As if I could resist your charms, you temptress."  
  
"Flattery won't win you any brownie points, jack ass."  
  
"No, but  _this_ might~"  
  
Without warning, he kissed her cheek, making her face light up like a Christmas tree as her eyes were blown wide open. Her face was hot with embarrassment. Then, she pounced on him, pulling at his hair in frustration as she started rambling in irritation. He simply chuckled through the pain, trying to shush her and failing as their pokémon began to stir and gaze upon the odd spectacle. Salazzle just rolled it's eyes and laid back down, while Golisopod tilted it's head in curiosity as the two continued their roughhousing.  
  
One thing was for sure; The air felt much lighter than it did a few hours ago.

* * *

  
The entire car ride was absolutely silent, just like the entire weekend had been for the two siblings. To make things less awkward, they both had their Eeveelutions in their laps to play with and pet. Each of them only had a few bags worth of belongings in the trunk, as they had tossed most of the memoirs of their dreaded home of Aether Paradise into the trash. They were equally bewildered by the news of their adoption. Much less that they had  _both_ been swept up by the same person.  
  
But the whole thing had been rather hush hush, as it seemed the courts and Acerola were desperate to get them to their new home as soon as possible. Perhaps they were concerned with the elongated consequences that would surely come with these children being adopted separately, or never adopted at all. They both desperately needed a functioning home. And while Gladion did have such a thing for a little while, he couldn't deny there had been a lingering hollowness to it.  
  
It was certainly no perfect replacement. But still, he preferred it to the latter. Despite the destination being near Aether House, the trip felt like ages. They didn't know much about the location, other than it used to be a trailer park of sorts where only hooligans or Alola's more poor population used to lurk about.  _Used_ to be, that is. Most of the hooligans had disappeared from there and gone straight to Po Town, and any trailers still around were just elderly couples with not much money on hand.  
  
Which was curious, as they were told they were definitely going to be living in a house. Perhaps they had renovated one. He had never really been on that path before like Hau had been. He hadn't left Akala until that passing weekend since Burnet fostered him. As for Lillie, she had already been down that path on her journey to take the trials. It was in the first month of her orphanage, and at the time, she did recall seeing some construction for a couple of houses going on.   
  
It was a curious place to build a home, as it was a more deserty area on Ula'Ula, complete with it's own mirage. But she wasn't one to complain about such conditions. She was never really bothered that much by it. Besides, she didn't wear warmer or darker clothing all that much anymore. Though she still had a strand of blue in her grown out hair. Now that it was much longer, she could put it into a proper ponytail. However, Gladion's look still hadn't changed much. It seemed he was still attached to his white and blue attire he had worn for so long now.  
  
Eventually, the car stopped outside of a very rural but lovely looking house. The siblings exited the car simultaneously, waiting patiently as the driver, Acerola's Oranguru, went to check that the owners were home. Gladion and Lillie stood awkwardly next to each other, both of them struggling to think of something to say to the other. But it was hard to focus as they were both staring tensely at the front door of the house. Headmaster knocked, readjusting it's driver's cap slightly with it's thumb.  
  
It was quiet for a few moments...  
  
Then, the door knob turned and the door swung open. And the face that awaited them shocked them both. It was Guzma. And behind him, Lillie could make out Plumeria as well. They stepped outside, not yet noticing the kids and seeming bewildered at the Oranguru. Headmaster pulled off it's hat, greeting them with a calm, "Gu." It turned it's head towards the children, prompting Plumeria and Guzma to do the same. And as soon as they did, they were just as frozen with shock as the kids were.  
  
Lillie's eyes glazed over, trying not to cry. She suddenly dashed forward to approach him and glomped him in a hug. Gladion followed after her, still bewildered by all this. "You're..." he couldn't finish as he trailed off. Guzma scratched the back of his head nervously, "Y-Yeah...uh, hey kid. It's...good to see you're doin' alright." Lillie pulled off of Guzma, staring up at him as she wiped her tears away, "H-How is this possible? I thought that you couldn't take me in because-"  
  
"Funny thing about that, Nanu did me a bit of a favor."  
  
"Y-You got immunity?"  
  
"Ah! Not  _immunity_. I've been entrusted under  _tight_ supervision for at  _least_ a year. And since the courts donno where my hideout is still, it's the  _rest_ of the kids that are immune."  
  
Lillie sighed in relief, "So Zi is safe. That's good..."  
  
Gladion became apprehensive as he gripped the strap of his bag. He took a step forward, prompting Lillie to step away. "Um, not to be rude sir...I understand why her. But, why me? You barely know me." Guzma blinked at him for a long moment. He had been somewhat expecting the confusion. After all, despite being directly involved in his rescue twice, he hardly interacted with the kid. Still, he knew he had an obligation to help these kids patch up their quarrel. Which meant raising them both in a safe environment, together.  
  
"Well, kid, I'll be honest...I didn't think it'd be a good idea to separate youse."  
  
To his surprise, Gladion nodded very quickly in acceptance of this answer. However, he did look down apprehensively. "I understand..." Plumeria decided to change the subject to avoid further awkwardness. "Hey, why don't we show you around? You can even pick out your rooms." Their faces both lit up at this. That was most definitely a decision they had never made before. And it excited them both. They both smiled and nodded. As they entered, Lillie noticed the sparkling necklace around Plumeria's neck and smirked at her, causing her mentor to flush indignantly.  
  
Guzma stood by the doorway for a moment, however. Gladion stopped following them for a moment, noticing Plumeria's Salazzle watching from a kennel cage. He blinked at this. Plumeria became nerve-wracked as he approached it. She had specifically put in the cage to ease his mind, and his lack of reaction to her so far had been promising. But this behavior was rather curious. The Salazzle stared up at him curiously, recognizing his face vividly.   
  
Gladion stared for a moment, before pulling a pokébean out of his bag and offering it to the Salazzle. Plumeria was bewildered by the kid's gesture, as the Salazzle appeared to be as well. It slowly sat up, gently licking the bean out of his hand and chomping on it. It clicked it's tongue in pleasure at the taste, and he smiled before petting it gently. He turned his head to look at Plumeria, still smiling, "I never got to tell you this...but your pokémon is rather lovely looking."  
  
She blinked in shock for a moment, before smirking coyly back at him. "Careful kid, that thing bites, you know~" Gladion squeaked, backing away from the cage as the Salazzle tilted it's head at him curiously. She chuckled, "Hah! Sorry, I'm just teasing. She's pretty tame. C'mon, let's go pick out your room." He pouted at her as his face flushed, but he quickly composed himself with a huff. Guzma frowned as he noticed Lillie and Gladion exchange bitter and sad looks for a split second. He sighed as he closed the door behind him.   
  
He  _really_ had his work cut out for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who are _probably_ wondering about why Burnet doesn't appear to live with her husband, I actually took inspiration from the manga for this one. I didn't have a problem with them not living in the same house for most of the time. Some couples do do that, and they _do_ do different types of research that require different environments most of the time. So yeah, Burnet's house is just on Akala. It's a hidden back room in her HQ, basically.
> 
> Btw I'm sure you already guessed this but "Maman" means "Mother" in case you were wondering >w>
> 
> Full background version of "You're Ok" is up now, go have a looksies, it looks less like cheap crap ;w;  
> https://www.deviantart.com/artgurusauce/art/You-re-Ok-806473300


	58. Chapter 57 - I Have Questions For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guzma and Plumeria decide to take the kids to Malie City to treat them. Gladion is given the chance to try and earn Lillie's forgiveness, as he tries to atone for the pain he's caused her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter as you might be able to tell from the title is heavily inspired in part by the song "I Have Questions" by Camila Cabello. It's also inspired in part by "It's Quiet Uptown" from Hamilton.  
> So yeah just keep that in mind as you read this, I would recommend you listen to "I Have Questions" before reading though. I'm feeling very musical lately .w.

Today again it was a beautiful day. Not too hot, but not too chilly, either. Clouds rolled along the sky to give the general public a merciful break from the sun's beaming rays. Of course, the cool breeze that carried them along was more than enough. It was a bustling day in Malie City, many tourists were out and about. Of course, none paid mind to the rather unorthodox family that arrived after a long walk. The only thing driving the kids to go along with it was the supposed "Surprise" their parents had for them.  
  
And, oddly enough, they were more than excited to see the colorful city yet again. Despite having been through it before, they both had quite the eye for it. After all, there was much fun to be had here. For both of them, and of course, for their pokémon as well. As soon as they exited the grassy path, they turned to look at their father. "You're taking us around Malie City?!" Lillie squeaked excitably. Guzma chuckled, handing both the kids a big wad of cash. "Thank your uncle Nanu for this here trip. Go nuts. Your mother and I are gonna take a look around."  
  
"R-Really? Thanks, dad!"  
  
"Th-thanks..."  
  
Lillie darted off, not sparing her brother a glance as she did so. Gladion swallowed hard and sighed. Plumeria gave him a pitiful look, and lightly brushed his shoulder with her hand. "Hey, kid. Go easy today, ok? Remember, you're here to have fun." Gladion mustered a weak smile and nodded, taking off in a different direction to Lillie. Guzma sighed, prompting Plumeria to give him a worried look before she hugged his arm and tried to console him. "Hey, I'm sure they'll work things out. We'll just...keep an eye on 'em."  
  
"Yeah, r-right."  
  
"...Let's go get some sushi. I'd  _love_ to see you utterly  _destroy_ that conveyor belt~"  
  
"Heh...sure."

* * *

  
Gladion had immediately made his way to the library upon being given his money. Once he arrived, he went straight to the front desk to apply for a library card. Which was much easier than he thought it'd be. The cashier quickly put together one for him, handing it to him over the counter with a bright smile. "Here you go, sir. Make sure not to lose it," she warned. He nodded, and went for the poetry section again. It didn't take him long to pick out a couple of new books, but out of the corner of his eye had had spotted the language section.  
  
Out of curiosity, he decided to explore. And much to his surprise and slight delight, he found a book that translated Alolan language. He smiled to himself, and quickly checked himself out before putting the books away in his satchel bag. He decided to keep on exploring the city, eventually reaching the clothing store. He wandered up to it, observing new darker clothing styles that had come out. He looked down at his clothes. The same clothes he had always adorned since Hau had first taken him out shopping.  
  
They were something of a souvenir for him. One of the few mementos of the islands he had. But of course, he couldn't deny that despite his fondness of the memory itself, his trauma unfortunately tainted his liking of them. After all, his disdain for bright colors still irked him immensely. He decided at the very least, he would try something out. Of course, just as he was about to go in, he realized he had no one to judge his wears. He was still a bit self conscious about making decisions, and he still wasn't familiar with picking out his own clothes yet.  
  
He reached into his satchel bag, pulling out a pokéball and calling out his Umbreon. It seemed a bit confused at first, but Gladion quickly squatted down to it's level to talk to it. "Hey there buddy. Think you can help me pick out some new clothes?" Umbreon nodded, "Bre." He could tell it was rather serious about the task. That was to be expected, of course. It always  _was_ rather stoic. He entered with the elegant nightly pokémon and found only a couple of teenagers in punk or dreary clothes were around the store.  
  
He decided to try avoiding them for the most part, until, that is, he saw a familiar face. He walked up to her, almost shocked to see her there. "Lois?" he called. She looked up and gave a confident smile, "Well well well, if it ain't blondie. I ain't seen  _you_ in like, forever." Gladion chuckled, "Yeah, things, um... _happened_." She crossed her arms, giving him smug smirk as she raised a brow at him. "So, what brings you around  _here_ today, huh, tallboy?" He blushed, a bit embarrassed to explain himself.  
  
"O-Oh I just...wanted to get some new clothes. Something darker. I don't really like white all that much..."  
  
"Sounds like it suits ya. What with havin' a Crobat  _and_ an Umbreon an' all."  
  
"Hehe, I actually have a Midnight Lycanroc too."  
  
"Damn, you're just  _destined_ for darkness, ain't ya?"  
  
He sweat a bit at the remark, but his thoughts quickly rationalized it. He rubbed the back of his neck as he considered asking her for her help. She was certainly more experienced in fashion than he was, and Umbreon wasn't exactly a connoisseur in these things. "U-Um, I was thinking...I'm not so good with picking stuff out. Do you think you could help me find something that suits me?" he asked. Her eyes lit up with a determined glint as Umbreon pouted that it was already replaced.  
  
Gladion chuckled at it, giving it a bat on the head. "S-Sorry buddy, you can help  _next_ time, ok?" Umbreon seemed satisfied with the offer and nodded. Lois immediately began working her magic, scanning through the items and finding the perfect outfit to put on the meek boy to make him look like a  _real_ badboy. Of course she did take his input into account as well. After all, this  _was_ his outfit they were talking about. Eventually, she appeared content with the items she had selected, and sent him into the changing room.  
  
It didn't take him long to change and come out, revealing the outfit she had snagged for him.  
  
Replacing his old hoodie was a new one. A black one with a rather spiky looking hoodie and gray strings attached to either side of it. Across the front area was a large pocket with red fabric on the inside, currently unzipped to show it off. Underneath he wore a black, long sleeved shirt. On each sleeve was two tears, intentionally put in for style, of course. His black khakis also had tears in them, much more noticeable and large, on top of that. As for his shoes, he had replaced his velcro sneakers with red shoes that had gray soles and black laces.  
  
Umbreon expressed approval of this look, as did Lois. " _Damn_ , blondie. Just get yaself a double helix and change up ya bangs and you'll be a  _real_ stud~!" she complimented. He sweat nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Y-You're too kind, really, Lois." She smirked, "So, you changin' it up for ya boyfriend~? I'll bet he'll think it's  _real_ hot." He blushed at this, frantically waving his hands around as he tried to deny such intentions. She just snickered, and waved him off before she turned away from him.  
  
"Chillax, I'm only jokin'."  
  
"L-Lois wait!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I just...want to thank you. Really. Tell Peter I said hello."  
  
"Sure thing. Happy to help out, blondie. See ya around~"  
  
He turned away, heading for the counter to pay for his new clothes. Hau began to linger in his mind, as his smile instantly faded from his face. But only Umbreon seemed to notice, as they exited the store and continued to explore the city.

* * *

  
As he walked along the sidewalk, he became willingly oblivious to the odd looks he received. After all, it was rather unconventional to wear so much black, even in mild weather such as this. Eventually, he reached the cross walk. His Umbreon was still beside him. It hadn't failed to notice it's master's increasing tensity as he gazed at the city. It was well aware of his convictions in being in this place again. The boy knew Guzma didn't mean anything malicious by it.   
  
It had been a couple of months already, after all. Surely, he was over it by now. Yet this place most of all was infected with memories both good and bad that he hadn't been ready to face just yet. He crossed the street, walking over to the strip adjacent to the cramped collection of shops behind him. He crossed his arms, looking down solemnly as he walked. All he could think of, no matter where he walked, was his beloved. Things were still the same. He still felt empty deep down, felt like a piece of himself was missing.  
  
In a way, his pokémon, too, felt this way. Especially his Crobat, whom longed for it's mate just as much as Gladion longed for his. Still, it understood it's master's resolve. There were loose ends that were still left laying on the floor. And at any moment, he could trip, if he didn't pick them up. Still, it was hard  _not_ to think of him here. Though, it was difficult not to think of him almost anywhere, these days. Gladion recalled every memory he had with Hau as he walked.   
  
He remembered first arriving here on their journey. Allowing Hau to drag him to the library for the first time. It was like his personal heaven come to life. The elation in learning he could read as much as he wanted. He remembered Hau stuffing his face like a Tepig at the Sushi Bar. Gladion had to constantly chide him to stop eating like a wild pokémon. Of course, he didn't tell Hau that he actually found it cute. He remembered Hau teaching him how to swim for the first time. He had actually dedicated himself to taking full lessons when he lived with Burnet.  
  
After all, she  _was_ a former marine biologist. And she was most often passionate about scuba diving. He started thinking about other fond memories with Hau as well. Fighting him in Battle Royal, training with him, stargazing with him. Dancing, meeting his mother, their first kiss, all the nights cuddling together, all the flirting. It made him smile warmly at the thought. He looked up, still ignoring the pitiful looks people shot him. They could tell just by looking at him, he was suffering.  
  
"He would like it here, it's a lot quieter than I thought it'd be," he muttered, only halfly talking to his Umbreon, whom gave him the same sympathetic look. He stopped as he began passing the window of a diner that was closed. He stared at his reflection, his smile fading. He couldn't help but see Hau beside him in the reflection. He gently touched the glass. His Umbreon stared at him curiously, tilting it's head. Gladion narrowed his eyes at himself as the image of his boyfriend faded away.  
  
"Just look at me...I'm losing my mind."  
  
He looked closely at the reflection again, and his eyes widened as he noticed something. He turned around to look across the street again. To his surprise, he found his sister walking along, smiling with her Clefable walking behind her. As soon as he turned around, she seemed to catch this movement, and turned her head to look at him. Her smile faded and she blinked at him slowly. They stared at each other for a long moment, before Lillie gave him an irritated look and turned her face away from him again.  
  
  
  
_**Why did you leave me here to burn?**_  
  
  
  
She continued walking, completely ignoring him. Gladion's hand was still on the glass, and his fingers clenched up as he began to sweat a bit. Umbreon could see the guilt on his face. Gladion took a deep breath.  _It's now or never, Gladion...this comes first_ he thought. He quickly made his way across the street, walking beside her. "Lillie, wait up!" he called. She just kept on at her own pace, though she didn't deliberately speed up to avoid him, either. Once he caught up to her, he struggled to think of what to say.  
  
"H-Hey..."  
  
She didn't respond, she didn't even  _look_ at him. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He didn't even know how to  _begin_ with this. He knew he had to start  _somewhere_. "You...changed your look." Lillie gave an agitated look, but didn't directly look at him. He knew what she was saying with her eyes. He stumbled on this line of conversation instantly. "R-Right...did you buy anything  _new_ at the store?" She paused for a moment, before nodding. He was glad she was at least giving a proper response.  
  
That was good.  
  
"O-Oh. What'd you get?" he asked. She took a deep breath, moving her dufflebag around and opening to show him it's contents. While she had bought some gothic clothes and some hair dye for herself, it appeared she also purchased accessories for her pokémon. There were also some more normal and brighter looking clothes. The sort of clothes that were just cute, for lack of a better word. Once he was done looking, she closed up her dufflebag again. The selection didn't really surprise him.  
  
  
  
_**Do you care?**_  
  
  
  
"They look good. You bought stuff for your pokémon too?" She nodded. She didn't give him a direct glance, but it was clear that she was examining his own clothes. He chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "I...don't really like the color white. It's...a bad reminder." His smile faded quickly as he became apprehensive. He looked away, so he didn't notice when she gave him a pitiful look before looking away herself. Their pokémon chattered tensely as this awkward charade continued.  
  
Having lived together for a week or so, they had all grown used to each other. Any malice that was still left had disappeared. At least, amongst the  _pokémon_. Pretty much all of Gladion's pokémon had tried to convince Cleffy to forgive Gladion or go easy on him. And while they failed for the most part, Clefable had only shot him dirty looks whenever it had seen him. Still, the other pokémon's recounts of their training with him definitely stirred it. Even if it had a hard time believing it's previous master had changed.  
  
The city was much larger than they seemed to remember as they continued walking. There was a long and awkward silence between them as their thoughts swirled. Gladion was mentally kicking himself of course.  _Stupid, what're you doing?_ he thought. He began wondering what Hau would do in this situation. Of course, nothing of satisfaction came to mind. Hau had a gift he could never hope to replicate, after all. He was just left stressed by all of this. As for Lillie, however...  
  
  
  
_**Why don't you care?**_  
  
  
  
He tried again to muster a friendly smile for her. She didn't look at him, still. This silent treatment was becoming more and more agonizing by the second. "The city sure is beautiful, huh?" he asked. She didn't nod or shake her head anymore. She had resorted to just plain ignoring him now. Still, he didn't let this deter him. "You've been here before, right? On your trials?" Silence followed. Umbreon noticed it's master was starting to sweat with anxiety. Even Clefable was starting to pity this awkward spectacle as they turned a corner.  
  
"Did you like the islands, Lillie?"  
  
"..."  
  
"It sure was a beautiful place for us to start our new lives, don't you think?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Have you...looked around, Lillie?"  
  
"..."  
  
Things were going absolutely no where. In fact, it appeared that they were only getting  _worse_. It was getting harder for Clefable  _not_ to pity Gladion. He couldn't keep up the false smile as he finally sighed in defeat. Then, much to Umbreon and even Clefable's surprise, he stopped walking. They themselves came to a halt, but Lillie kept on her path. He took a deep breath. He knew he couldn't beat around the bush anymore. She wouldn't let him. There was only one way to do this. He raised his voice before he spoke up again.  
  
"I know I don't deserve this."  
  
Lillie stopped in her tracks. She didn't turn around. She didn't even turn her head. She just stopped. He waited a moment, subconsciously hoping she would respond, but she didn't. She was simply listening at this point. But he took it. "...I know I don't deserve to live with you. I don't  _deserve_ to share a life with you," he elaborated. She was still silent. He was apprehensive again, not even looking directly at her. Perhaps he was afraid she would be looking at him if he looked up again.  
  
"I know I don't even deserve your  _forgiveness_ ," he choked. He wouldn't cry. He was stronger than that. He had to be. He didn't get to have that excuse anymore. Weakness controlled him for far too long. "I was  _selfish_. Whether I like it or not, I hurt you too by leaving you there," he confessed. Clefable's heart was starting to waver as it listened to this. His tears and struggle were too powerful, too real. "I left you behind, I left Cleffy behind, and I was a reckless  _idiot_ ," he continued.  
  
"I get that you may never forgive me for what I've done to you. And I have no right to ask  _anything_ of you."  
  
"..."  
  
"But...if you would just hear me out...that'd be more than enough for me."  
  
"..."  
  
After yet another long and silent minute, he was confident enough to keep going. Though, it didn't get any easier with every word he uttered. "I know you hate me..." he muttered. "I know...I know you'd rather  _father_ be here than me." Lillie was still silent at this, but nobody noticed when she scowled. The look of disgust that had crossed her face. Gladion on the other hand was in complete despair. It brought him no joy to have this conversation. But these were all things that had ate away at him for the past few months.  
  
"If...if I could make it happen...if that would make you happy, then I  _would_ take his place. Father didn't deserve to die. I know that  _I_ do."  
  
She was still silent, biting her lip to keep herself from screaming. From throwing a fit. From causing a scene. He still continued, "If that'd make you smile again..." He hesitated for a moment. That wasn't good enough. "If that would fix everything, Lillie, I..." No, not that either. There was no point in making her feel guilty. Even if what he felt was real. "I  _know_...and I will  _never_ understand all the shit we've been through. Why it had to be us..." He finally mustered up the courage to look at her. But she still had her back to him.  
  
"We can't replace everything that's been lost. We'll never be the same again, but we can be better. We can-"  
  
  
  
_**Tell me who you think you are?**_  
  
  
  
He stopped himself again as he sighed. He was struggling to get this out, let alone get it out in a proper fashion. "I get it...you need time. I don't blame you." She was still silent. The silence extended for several minutes this time. But neither of them moved, and neither did their pokémon. There was only one thing left for him to say now. One thing he had to tell her, lest he never forgive  _himself_. His eyes became stern as he abandoned all this anxiety. He couldn't show weakness right now.  
  
"But I'm  _not_ scared anymore."  
  
Her eyes widened at this, and she flinched a bit. Still, she didn't turn around. She couldn't. She  _wouldn't_. And he didn't wait around for her to do so either. He knew by now she didn't intend on giving him anything. He had the stage entirely to himself now. "I'm  _done_ being a coward. I should've been protecting you from the start. So to make up for it...that's what I'm going to do from now on," he confessed. Clefable's eyes widened in surprise. It hadn't seen this side of Gladion in a few years now.  
  
Umbreon was just amazed at it's master's conviction. Almost admiring it, in a way. They both understood every word of Gladion's appeal. And it all made perfect sense to them. Umbreon was but a bit mournful it's master had to torture himself like this for so long, even in their company. Still, it was no Psychic Type. It couldn't know these things. Clefable, on the other hand, was left with much to think about. It could tell he meant every word he said. The question for both it and Lillie was whether or not forgiveness was indeed in order.   
  
Gladion blushed, training his eyes down slightly as his mind danced with memories again. "Hau has taught me so much...and I wanna start being more like him. I wanna do the right thing." Even if she decided by some miracle to voluntarily speak, she wasn't sure she would have words for this. Her scowl had faltered considerably. The only thing she had ever really wanted of him, and he was truly willing to give it to her. That is, if she even believed that. Gladion took a quiet but deep breath as he prepared himself.  
  
There was one last nail to be put in the coffin.  
  
He slowly approached her, and stopped just a couple of inches away from her. He hesitated for a moment, before he spoke up again, "And I selfishly ask...that you let me." He slowly and gently touched her hand, holding it to comfort her. She gasped, turning her head to look at him finally. She had tears pricking at her eyes, much to his surprise. There were no words between them. They simply stared at each other for a long few minutes. Gladion utterly baffled and Lillie's face reflected with sorrow.  
  
  
  
_**Why would you try to play me for a fool?  
  
  
  
**_Suddenly, she scowled, and yanked her hand away from him as she turned away. She began walking again, but still at a considerably slow pace. Hie heart sank immediately as he became mortified at what he had just done. What was he thinking? Dumping all this on her like that? That was no way to resolve this. He slumped, feeling truly shameful as he bit his lip. Clefable didn't bother going after Lillie surprisingly. All it could do was stare at her blankly. Umbreon tried to get it to speak, but it was to no avail.  
  
Gladion shook his head.  _No...I can't give up now_ he thought. He pulled himself together quickly, catching himself up to her to follow her as he walked beside her. Of course, she didn't acknowledge this still. His mind went back to trying polite conversation again. It wasn't a good idea, but it was all he had. "Do you like it here, Lillie? On Ula'Ula? You lived here for a long time, right?" She shrugged him off again. But that wasn't surprising to him at this point. He glanced away from her to look around at the scenery again.  
  
"I don't remember it being so quiet here...do you?"  
  
  
  
_**Why weren't you who you swore you'd be?**_  
  
  
  
More people that passed by gave them pitiful looks. Gave  _him_ pitiful looks. Umbreon glared at every last one of them, and so did Clefable as they followed the pair again. They turned yet another corner, and they both stopped. Their eyes were caught with a rather curious sight, one they hadn't taken in before. Lillie hadn't really spent as much time as she'd have liked in Malie City when she first visited. She was a  _bit_ too eager to get to Poni as soon as possible. As for Gladion, the boys had completely skipped over some of the attractions here when they realized they had to get back on track.  
  
What they were both met with was the entrance to the rich garden area they had both completely missed. Their eyes sparked with wonder as they slowly approached it and entered. Dusk had fallen into evening. The moon was high in the sky and the stars lit up whatever darkness was leftover. There was nobody else in the garden, it seemed. And was it quite a breath taking sight. There was a mass lake that made up at least 50% of the area. The rest was greenery, tall grass, bamboo stalks, and even a few trees.  
  
Much of the architecture was stunning as well, and in the distance, she could make out a closed ice cream stand. They both couldn't help the smiles that graced their faces. Lillie began heading off in a random direction, taking in the hypnotic sight of a few small pokémon bobbing about in the air. The melodic tune of Kricketunes and Kricketots rang through the air. It was definitely a pleasant experience. Her smile faded as she heard her brother giggling behind her, and turned her head to see what the commotion was.  
  
A small Flabébé appeared to be nuzzling him. He held up his hands to catch it, though it floated freely in the wind it seemed. He noticed Lillie looked at him and was caught up in the magical moment as he smiled at her. "Just  _look_ at this place, Lillie. I've never seen anything like it before." She blinked at him slowly. Her eyes shone with something he had distantly seen a very long time ago. Eyes she had looked at him with when they were much,  _much_ younger. Eyes that Clefable recognized as well.  
  
_How do I **fix** it?_  
  
She turned her head away again, continuing to walk away from him. He frowned, quickly being brought back down from the experience to realize reality. The Flabébé gave a sad look as well, confused by the strange air of these 2 humans. As Gladion watched her walk away, he finally realized something else. She was just like him. She was just pushing him away. The same way he pushed Hau away. She was  _afraid_ to open up to him. She wasn't silent out of spite. She was silent out of  _fear_.  
  
_Can we **talk**?  
  
_He followed after her, as she walked onto the large bridge ahead of them. Their pokémon followed suit, leaving the Flabébé to observe quietly from the sidelines. Lillie eventually stopped, turning to face the wall of the bridge. She stared up at the night sky, seeming to observe the full moon that was out tonight. Gladion hesitantly stood beside her, putting his hands on the rail of the bridge's wall. He glanced at her apprehensively, trying to think of what he should say. Now that he understood her plight, he had to pick his next words carefully.  
  
_Can we **communicate**? _  
  
Her mind was completely clouded with all sorts of thoughts. Regrets, fears, even anger. The overwhelming bout of emotions that she had been bottling up to this point and it was ready to burst. And yet, there was still some part of her that had restraint. Some part of her that was trying through all the screaming in her head to tell her something. Something important. Gladion's words had already rattled her. Her own thoughts weren't doing anything to improve that. Months of agony started brewing in her head.  
  
_Do I **wanna** fix it?   
  
Is it  **my** fault?   
  
Do you  **miss** me?  
  
_Suddenly, everything was completely quiet...  
  
_...  
  
...  
  
..._  
  
Then, she took his hand in hers.   
  
He gawked at her in utter bewilderment. He had many questions running rampant in his mind. What did this mean? Was she upset? He didn't understand at all. Clefable and Umbreon stood off on the side of the bridge, the Flabébé close behind them now. All eyes were on them and only them. Clefable knew that Lillie's next words would determine everything from here on out. Lillie winced for a moment, before looking up at the sky again. It was a beautiful night out tonight. A wonderful night to be sight-seeing.  
  
"...It  _is_ quiet here..."  
  
Gladion's eyes glazed over as the moon's light reflected in them. Tears came to his eyes and began to slid down his face, beyond his control. He began shaking, his breathing labored and choked. Lillie formed tears of her own, as she slowly turned her head to look at him. For the first time since they had reunited, she offered him a kind smile. He winced at this. His emotions completely overwhelmed him now. He pulled her into a tight embrace and burst into tears. He hated letting himself look so weak in front of her.  
  
Hadn't he just promised to stop being so pathetic?  
  
Her eyes widened and she gasped, not expecting the reaction. Slowly, she relaxed into the embrace, wrapping her arms around him tightly. She began sobbing into his hoodie, letting out all of her emotions at once. They stood there, weeping against each other for several minutes. It moved their pokémon completely, even the Flabébé that was but a strange to them. Clefable had tears in it's eyes, as it realized now why it had felt so hollow in helping Lillie to defeat Gladion. There was only one more thing he still owed her.  
  
"I'm sorry, Lillie...I-I'm so sorry...!" he choked.   
  
She didn't respond verbally, she just sobbed into him. The apology, while simple, and obviously doing nothing to heal what had been done, was surprisingly cathartic. It was a start, she had to admit that. They remained like this for several more minutes, before their crying had calmed into sniffles. Gladion looked up at the moon and stars, a fond memory once again bringing him comfort. He wondered if his beloved was watching the stars tonight as well.  
  
"...I like it here."  
  
"...Me too."  
  
They finally pulled off of each other, and took notice of their pokémon watching. Clefable had approached them already, while Umbreon was apprehensively following it. It appeared nervous to Clefable's intentions. It still had tears in it's eyes, so none of them could be sure. Lillie blinked at it sympathetically, "C-Cleffy..." Gladion gave it a solemn look, approaching it carefully. "I owe you an apology too, Cleffy. A real one. You might not believe me, but, I still love you, Cleffy," he choked.  
  
It began to weep, and before anyone could make a move, it hugged Gladion's legs and weeped loudly. The gesture caught all of them completely off-guard. Gladion was frozen in shock for a moment, not even fully processing what had just happened. But eventually his brain caught up with him, and he winced. He leaned down, wrapping his arms around Clefable and trying to stifle his sobbing. Lillie gave a sad smile, as did Umbreon and Flabébé as they stood aside and let them reconnect.  
  
"Th-thank you, Cleffy. I'm glad Lillie t-took c-care of you. I-I...I'm  _proud_ of you. You've gotten  _so_ s-strong...!"  
  
Clefable just kept on weeping into Gladion's chest uncontrollably. Eventually, they both managed to calm down as Gladion stood up. Lillie held out her hand to him again, and he gladly took it. "Let's go home, big brother..." she smiled. He nodded in agreement, "Y-Yeah..." They headed off towards the entrance again with their pokémon in toe. However, once they passed through it, they were surprised to find their parents had been spying on them. And they immediately became flustered.  
  
"M-Mom?! Dad?!"  
  
"Y...You were... _following_ us?"  
  
Guzma snickered, "S-Sorry to scare the crap outta ya, kids! Just wanted to make sure everythin' went smoothly." Lillie gave him a suspicious look. "Waaaiiit, did you guys  _plan_ this?" Plumeria gave a snide smirk as she approached them, "'Plan' is a strong word, sweetheart. I prefer 'Organized'." Lillie pouted as her face flushed, "I should've  _known_ you two were scheming!" Guzma couldn't help but chuckle, "Aw, c'mon, princess. It all worked out, didn't it?" Lillie took a deep breath and sighed.  
  
"Yes...I suppose it did."  
  
"Good, now who wants a piggy back ride?"  
  
Gladion held up his hands nervously, "I-I'm good, thanks..." Lillie smirked and rolled her eyes at him, "Your loss~" She climbed onto Guzma's back, giggling as he lifted her up to support her. The odd family began walking again as they started on their path home. Guzma began his un-ending onslaught of teasing Lillie while Plumeria struck up friendly conversation with Gladion. Nobody could deny that they certainly appeared much more vibrant walking out of that city than they did walking in.

* * *

  
Dusk was creeping in as the sun was beginning to set. Moon decided instead to walk home from Hau'oli City, as it allowed her more ample opportunity to get some exercise. As exhausted as she was from the bout of trainers that came her way today, she wanted to keep her physical health sharp. She had a couple of her pokémon out with her as well. Her Mimikyu and Tsareena, to be exact. Mimikyu's cloth slid along the ground as Tsareena strut confidently beside it's trainer.  
  
She groaned with exhaustion, "That sure was one helluva day, huh?" Tsareena nodded, "Reena." She smiled at it sadly. Tsareena had noticed it's master had seemed more and more down as the days passed. But who could blame her? Things had fractured for her and her friends so quickly. Even with her mass confidence and ego boost in winning the League and remaining undefeated thus far, she was clearly distraught. None of her friends had contacted her much since Hau had challenged her a couple months ago.  
  
Walking through Hau'oli city wasn't as torturous as some of the other places she tried to walk through these days. She had all but completely avoid Royal Avenue, much to her cousin's dismay and concern. But this was one issue she would  _not_ let up on. At least, not on anyone else's terms, that is. Even her mother had noticed how out of sorts her daughter had been lately. But there was nothing that could be done. Not with the way things were going the past couple of months. They just had to sit and wait.  
  
Eventually, Moon reached the beach. It was still a bit buzzing with some families and kids enjoying themselves. And of course, lots of Water Type pokémon playing about. Once again, she was brought back to the past in her own head as she recalled seeing the report of the boat crash there. She was sure it was difficult for Hau to even so much as walk this way with  _that_ in mind. For her, it was only a sad passing glance. She continued on, eventually reaching the path to take her straight to her home. It was nearly pitch black out now.  
  
She wasn't looking up anymore. Her bangs hid her glazed eyes as she tried not to think. Thinking about anything other than battle was just too much. And sometimes, even then, it took a toll on her. Suddenly, her pokémon stopped her, Tsareena outstretching it's arm and Mimikyu grabbing her ankle with a black, outstretched tendril from under it's cloth. "Reena!" Tsareena cried, prompting Moon to look up to see what the commotion was about. And what she saw when she looked up shocked her.  
  
It was not only Gladion...but Lillie as well, standing right outside her front door.  
  
Lillie still had on that cute attire with her pink backpack, and her ponytail, of course. As for Gladion, however, she noticed he had completely ditched his  _old_ outfit and instead adopted a completely black and dreary looking attire. Almost akin to Lillie's  _old_ outfit. She immediately rushed them, her eyes wide with absolute surprise as she tried to process all of this. "Gladion, Lillie. I...y-you're here!" she ended up yelping in a stutter. Gladion smiled at her warmly and chuckled softly.  
  
"Sorry to pop in like this, I hope you don't mind. But...we wanted to talk."  
  
Moon raised a brow at this, "Talk?"  
  
Lillie sighed in annoyance smacking Gladion on the back to push him forward slightly as he cried out in slight pain at the gesture.  " _He_ is here to ask  _you_ a favor, and  _I_ am here to talk," she snapped, rolling her eyes. Moon motioned for her front door, still keeping eye contact with them. "Well...might I invite you inside, then? It's kinda cold out  _here_." The siblings nodded and followed Moon and her pokémon into the home. As expected, her mother was already cooking dinner for them and was surprised to see Moon bring inside 2 extra guests.  
  
"Oh! Honey, you should've told me you were bringing company!"  
  
Lillie held up a hand, "I-It's quite alright, Miss. We've already had dinner. We're just here to talk."  
  
"Oh, ok then. Nice to meet you two in person! Moon has told me so much about you~!"  
  
Lillie winced in agitation, causing Moon to fume in embarrassment. "L-Let's just...do this in my room, huh?" she suggested, awkwardly. They agreed to this and shuffled into her room, while Tsareena began helping her mother with dinner and Mimikyu played with their Kantonian Meowth. Moon took a seat in her rolling desk chair, while Lillie sat on the bean bag chair and Gladion took the bed. Moon sighed, spinning around her chair to look at them as she rested her arm on the head rest of the chair.  
  
"Alright...so who's going first?"  
  
Lillie shot Gladion an impatient look after a moment of silence and he began to sweat. He stuttered as he spoke up, "W-Well, I know I probably shouldn't bother you for favors but-" Moon rolled her eyes and gave him a stern look. "Gladion. I'm not pissed at you. I was just worried. We're friends, you know." Gladion gave her a surprised look for a moment, before smiling and nodding. "Yeah, right." He cleared his throat before continuing. He blushed slightly, which instantly told her what this was about.  
  
"Lillie and I were adopted a couple weeks ago. We live on Ula'Ula right now with Guzma and his girlfriend, Plumeria."  
  
"What?! They're dating? Th-they  _adopted_ you?"  
  
Lillie nodded, "They've been taking very good care of us, rest assured. Dad would never hurt me and certainly never hurt my brother. And neither would mommy."  
  
"...Did you just say 'Mommy'?" Moon smirked smugly.  
  
Lillie's face went red with embarrassment as she squeaked. Moon snickered and turned to look at Gladion again. "Anyways, that's great news!" Gladion stared at her nervously for a moment before continuing. "Y-Yeah...but, I haven't told Hau yet." Moon raised a brow at this, even though she saw it coming. "Why? You know he's been antsy to see you, right?" she reminded him. He nodded, a guilty look crossing his face as he rubbed his arm. "I know...but I wanted to take care of something first," he said, glancing towards Lillie.  
  
Moon looked between them for a moment before smirking smugly and nodding, "Ohhh, I get it. You two  _finally_ made up, huh?" Lillie huffed, pouting as her cheeks flushed and she looked away indignantly. Gladion chuckled nervously, feeling a bit sorry Lillie was being teased so much as he rubbed the back of his head. Moon turned up to look at him, her curious look returning, "But, wait. How come  _I'm_ the first person you came to talk to then?" Gladion gave a sheepish look and didn't answer for a moment.  
  
He averted his eyes downwards as he blushed and began fidgeting with his hands. "W-Well, I um...thought I would... _surprise_ him." Moon blinked at him blankly. "You're kidding..." she muttered. He began panicking. "I-I'm not intending t-to be cruel! I just thought i-it might be nice to-" She interrupted him as she grinned, "Dude, shut up already, I'm totally in! He's been real down in the dumps for like,  _ever_! Surprising him with  _you_ is perfect!" Gladion gave her a shocked look again as he began fumbling with his words.  
  
"I- W-Wait- You...will?"  
  
"Of  _course_ , dude! That's really sweet of you, you know?"  
  
"...Heh, th-thanks."  
  
"So, how we doin' this?"  
  
"...Tell him to meet you at Melemele Meadow tomorrow."  
  
"Not to question you but why there?"  
  
"It's just...a special place to me. And I think...it's special to  _him_ , too."  
  
Moon nodded, reaching for her Rotom in her purse, "Done. I'll call 'im right now." Lillie held up her hand, "Hold on, I still need to talk to you." She turned to look at her brother with a pout, "In  _private_." Gladion quickly got the messaged and showed himself out immediately. It was clear he was still treading on thin ice, even having earned her forgiveness. Moon slowly slipped Rotom back into her purse, giving Lillie a quizzical look. "Um...what's up?" she asked, almost afraid to know.  
  
Lillie took a deep breath before she began, "As you already know, I've chosen to forgive my brother. It wasn't easy for me to do. And...it's been tough for both of us." Moon nodded. There was no denying how much change she had observed in Lillie. Despite barely knowing her, she could tell every time they met up was different. Their first impression wasn't really something for either of them to be proud of. Especially now that Moon knew what she knew about Lillie and Gladion and their mother.  
  
But back then, Moon was arrogant and blissfully ignorant. Their second encounter, she had been knocked down a peg by Plumeria. Her ego had been wounded. She didn't fight to mock Lillie, but rather to prove to her that her ideals were flawed. Sure, she had jabbed at her a few times, but only out of anger rather than being driven by her own ego. She could see so much hate in Lillie's eyes. Even before she had approached her. So much malice and vitriol in her voice when she taunted her  _own_ brother.  
  
Still, she knew better than to stab Lillie in such a low place as mentioning her family. That was just cruel. It was only when Lillie began explaining to her her reasons for despising her brother she began to understand. Hau may have protested and just wasn't able to grasp it, but even she had to admit Lillie wasn't entirely wrong for being angered. Of course, she couldn't disregard how far Gladion had come from such a point, either. Hau had already done most of the talking on  _that_ end, anyways.  
  
But it was certainly reassuring to know that Lillie did not wish death upon her brother. For all her hate, she was not lost and blinded by darkness like her mother was. Which meant a part of her still cared about him. That became more and more evident as they continued their journey to save him. Even after the fact, she could tell Lillie was worried sick about him. But that was a good thing, of course. This forgiveness was a big step, surely. For both her  _and_ her brother.  
  
"We haven't spoken much on good terms. And...I wanted to remedy that. So first of all, I'm giving you my complete gratitude for helping to save my brother. I know you're his friend, but, that means more than you think it does."  
  
"Of course. I'd have done it for anybody. Nobody deserves that."  
  
"Indeed. And I also want to thank you for helping me, as well."  
  
"Helping  _you_?"  
  
"When you first defeated me...it  _really_ grinded my gears. I  _hated_ you. I hated the way you looked down on me. The same way  _she_ looked down on me. Like I was some weakling."  
  
"A-About that...I'm sorry. I never would've said that kinda shit if I knew. Gladion told me by the second time we saw each other."  
  
"And I should apologize as well. You were right. Picking a fight with him or Hau is nothing less than picking a fight with  _you_ , as well. I was just... _angry_."  
  
"I get it."  
  
"I-"  
  
Lillie paused at this and gave Moon a quizzical look as she blinked at her. "You...what?" she asked. Moon smirked and rolled her eyes, "I said,  _I get it_." Lillie gave her a confused look as she tilted her head. Moon couldn't help but giggle, "Listen, Glad's my friend and he's come a long way. But he fucked up when he left you behind." Lillie was shocked to hear these words coming from her  _rival_ of all people. Moon leaned against the head rest of her chair and sighed, "I'd be pissed off too, if I were you."  
  
Lillie blinked at her a bit more before replying, "So...you  _don't_ think I'm unjustified?" Moon raised a brow at her, "Now now, don't put words in my mouth, Lills. I'm just saying that I don't blame you. What you did and said to him was kind of shitty, and I don't personally  _believe_ in revenge. But, still, I can't deny he did you wrong." She got up from her chair, walking up to Lillie before placing a hand on her hip and holding out her other hand with a smile.  
  
"Listen, you're a pretty cool chick. And your pokémon are  _hella_ strong. Our battle at the League was kick _ass_. So, let's just call a truce and be friends from now on, huh? I have a lot of respect for you, you know. More than you might think."  
  
Lillie blinked up at her for a moment, before smiling and nodding. She stood up, grabbing Moon's hand and shaking it firmly to seal the deal. "Right, truce, then." Moon slowly grinned maniacally, before pulling Lillie into an unexpected hug. Lillie's face flushed and she pouted, pounding her fists weakly against Moon's back as she demanded to be released. Moon just giggled and tightened her grip. From outside the door, Gladion was silently eavesdropping, and snickered quietly to himself.  
  
Tomorrow was going to be a  _big_ day.

* * *

  
Yet again, Hau departed from his home to meet with his close friend and rival; Moon. She seemed rather eager about a certain "Surprise" she had prepared for him. He hadn't hung around his friends all that much for past couple of months. It was a surprise to even Hala when he decided to visit his mother on the weekends again. He had certainly changed quite a bit, even before Gladion had been taken in by Acerola and the courts. But lately, he was a bit mopey in almost everything he did.  
  
Even his pokémon displayed this troublesome behavior. Leafeon and Noivern had it the worst out of all of them. And Hau could tell incredibly easily. In fact, he could even relate to their mourning on a near spiritual level. Especially his Noivern, who had become incredibly lonely without it's mate. Leafeon was still hurt by how things between it and it's brother had left off. Regardless of it's understanding of it's ailment. The others were down about it as well, having spent so much time with Gladion's pokémon on their journey.  
  
Of course, Hau wasn't  _entirely_ miserable. He just found it much more difficult to enjoy much of anything now. Almost everything was tainted by the memory of his boyfriend's smile. Perhaps this would help him forget about things. After all, he hadn't really seen Moon since their battle for her title. And as for Lillie, well, she had straight up disappeared just a couple weeks ago. He wondered if perhaps she grew bored of him or perhaps he had done something wrong again.  
  
It didn't take him long to reach his destination, taking a shortcut across the bridge that lead to Melemele Meadow. It was a particularly odd meeting spot for her to choose, but he decided not to question it. He was sure whatever she had prepared for him would make him lighten up. Or at least...he  _hoped_. As he approached the entrance, he finally saw her, leaning against the wall and looking...nervous? He approached her with his usual upbeat beaming smile.  
  
"Hey Moon! I'm here!"  
  
"Woah! O-Oh, right. Hey Hau."  
  
"What's got  _you_ so worked up?"  
  
"Oh, nothing. I just...didn't think you'd actually come."  
  
He blinked at her curiously for a moment, before realizing she was right. After all, he  _had_ been mostly ghosting the girls since Gladion had left him. Unbeknownst to him, they understood his suffering. Moon had already known it would've ended this way. She just didn't think he deserved to go through all this. And Lillie herself, despite her worries for her brother, perfectly understood Hau's resistance. After all, she'd definitely do the same thing for Strelitzia, if it came right down to it.  
  
He frowned, "S-Sorry. I hope you haven't been upset..." Moon sighed. It'd be a lie to say she wasn't at some point. But she had learned to forgive by now. "Well, I  _was_ at first. But, there's really no point now." He raised a brow at her in suspicion, "What do you mean by that?" She nodded and gave him a coy and knowing smile. She giggled and turned him around to enter the Meadow, pushing her hands against his back to move him. "No time for that right now.  _You_ gotta go get your surprise~!"  
  
"But-"  
  
"We'll talk later if you  _really_ think we gotta. But just...humor me, ok?"  
  
"A...Alright."  
  
She continued shoving him through the entrance until they were at the other side, giving him one last big shove that almost tripped him. She stood back, concealing herself in the darkness as she leaned up against the wall again with a smug smirk. He dusted himself off, pouting slightly before turning his back to her. "Geez, what's the big deal, anyways...?" he muttered passive aggressively. He looked up, and noticed there was someone else in the Meadow with him. Someone in front of him.  
  
At first glance, he didn't recognize them. Their distinctly black clothing that seemed more appropriate for autumn or winter threw him for a loop. However, he began to notice that they, in style, looked oddly similar to someone  _else_ he knew. That's when he noticed the unmistakably ahoge hair that stuck out at the top of their head. Their  _blonde_ hair. He noticed petals were falling at their feet, as they seemed to be picking one of the many yellow flowers that littered the place.   
  
It seemed they hadn't heard him or Moon yet. Moon rolled her eyes impatiently, kicking a rock on the ground into the wall to gauge the "Stranger's" attention. They gasped, and dropped the now petalless flower on the dirt ground before they turned around and met Hau's eyes. There was no mistake about it now as Hau took in his face. He gasped and his eyes widened, and he was left completely frozen as he finally realized once and for all who this was standing before him.  
  
_It was Gladion._  
  
After a long few minutes, Gladion narrowed his eyes at Hau before turning around completely to face him. As he did so, he clutched at his own chest with one of his hands. He smiled sheepishly, a blush spreading across his face. Then, he took a step towards Hau. "I told you I'd come back to you...~" he cooed. Hau's mind was finally starting to catch up with him. Tears began streaming down his face, and he covered his mouth with his hands as he began to shake. He could hardly believe this was real.  
  
Even the older boy had trouble believing he was really here right now. It had felt like such a long and frustrating journey just to get here. Would he even have the guarantee that something wouldn't take him away from Hau again? Or vice versa? He didn't want to be without Hau ever again. He wouldn't let something like that happen. He had already sworn to no longer be a coward. Whatever it was that dared to come tear them apart, he'd fight it with everything he had.  
  
He gave Hau a warm smile, spreading his arms out to invite Hau to embrace him. "I'm home, Hau," he cooed again. Hau slowly took his hands off his face, still shaking and sobbing. "Gh..." he hesitated, his sobs slurring even the slightest syllable of words he wanted to speak. He wanted to ask if this was all real. If Gladion was ok. Where he'd been. If he'd never leave him again. But he didn't manage any of these things. He winced, closing his eyes tightly for a moment before shaking his head and darting right for the older boy.  
  
"G-Gladion!!"  
  
Gladion caught him as he threw himself onto him, wrapping his arms tightly around his neck. He couldn't help but laugh with joy as a tear pricked at his eye. They spun around for a moment, before they stopped and slumped into each other. He soothed Hau for a few minutes as he sobbed into his hoodie. And slowly, as his sobbing calmed, Hau began to laugh as a smile spread across his face against his will. He felt nothing but happiness. And so did Gladion. Once Hau had calmed down a bit, Gladion gazed down at him lovingly.  
  
Hau sniffled, still adorning a sheepish and goofy smile. He blushed once their eyes met again. "Y-You kept your promise. You...you really-" Gladion quietly shushed him, wiping away his tears with his thumb. "Shhhh...it's ok now, Hau. I'm sorry that I gave you a heart attack like this." He couldn't help his goofy smile as he tried to stifle his snickering again. Of course, he had guilt written all over his face. "But I really wanted to surprise you~!" he giggled. Hau sniffled, and scoffed in a slight laugh.  
  
"Y-You jerk~!"  
  
Eventually, he was able to look Gladion in the eye again as his blush got worse. Gladion had missed the mesmerized look he gave him. He pined for that look endlessly. That look that told him Hau actually  _wanted_ him. That he meant something to him. Hau's eyes glimmered as he asked the obvious question that had been lingering in his head. "Does...this mean...you can stay?" he whispered. Gladion nodded, pressing his head against Hau's to look deeper into his eyes.   
  
"Lillie and I were adopted a couple weeks ago. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I had things I wanted to settle first."  
  
"And...you're ok?"  
  
"Yeah. I've never been better, actually. All that was missing was you...now I'm  _perfect_."  
  
"G-Gladion..."  
  
"It's ok, mon cher. I won't break my promise this time."  
  
Hau stared at him for a long minute as he absorbed all this. Most of the logistics didn't matter. He was just glad to have his beloved here with him again. He reached a hand up, brushing Gladion's bangs out of his face. The younger boy smiled warmly, "I missed your eyes...they're so pretty...~" Gladion couldn't help but chuckle lightly at this. "I missed you too, mon cher~" he cooed. Hau's smile faded as he continued to gaze into Gladion's eyes. At first Gladion was worried, until the younger boy spoke up again.  
  
"...Gladion?"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I love you..."  
  
Gladion's blush got redder as soon as the words left Hau's lips. He hadn't realized until now how much he missed hearing him say those words. How much he valued that confession more than anything. His eyes glazed over as his own smile faded. He leaned in towards Hau slowly, whispering quietly before connecting their lips. "...I love you too~" Hau closed his eyes again, relaxing into the kiss instantly. Once again, it became heated as their tongues tangled together.  
  
Unbeknownst to either of them, from the entrance, two mischievous gals had been watching the entire spectacle. The blonde girl had arrived just in time to see Hau's reaction to his "Surprise". She stifled a giggle as she watched the two embrace. "Way to go, big brother~..." she teased quietly. Moon was just smiling contently, glad that finally things had gone back to normal. At least, for the most part. Perhaps one day, she would see Gladion on that victory road. And that was a day she highly anticipated.  
  
After a few minutes, the boys pulled apart from their kiss and gazed at each other. Then, Hau chuckled, tackling Gladion again and sending them both into the field of fluffy yellow flowers. They both laughed foolishly, ignoring the mess of petals that had landed in their hair or on their clothes. They were too elated to care. Hau propped himself up, realizing immediately that Gladion was beneath him. They gazed at each other again, before Hau leaned down and gave him another kiss, while Gladion reached up his arms to wrap around Hau's neck.  
  
Lillie crossed her arms and glanced at Moon curiously.  
  
"Should we like...look away?"  
  
"Nah, they're just playing around. Besides, I'd rather not take chances. They tend to get into too much trouble when I take my eyes off them for 2 seconds."  
  
"So it would seem..."  
  
Hau pulled away again after a minute, staring down at Gladion for a long moment before speaking again as he averted his eyes.  
  
"Hey, alola?"  
  
"Yeah, mon cher?"  
  
"I...I'm scared."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"...I'm scared...that if I wake up tomorrow...none of this will have been real."  
  
Gladion blinked at him slowly, before pulling one of his hands down to cup Hau's cheek. This caused Hau to blush and turn his eyes back down at his boyfriend. He was smiling warmly. That same smile that always made Hau's heart skip a beat. "Hey...right now, we're here," he whispered. Hau was confused for a moment before Gladion continued. "I'm not worried about the past anymore. But...I  _am_ hopeful for the future. So I have faith that tomorrow...you'll still be here with me," he cooed.  
  
"Gladion..."  
  
"Je t'aime, mon cher."  
  
"...Wau ia 'oe, alola."  
  
They shared in yet another kiss, the girls awkwardly chatting away as they waited for them to remember the unwilling witnesses to their snuggling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright everyone, there's an epilogue yet to come this Saturday, but cry not yet my little noodles, as I am coming out with _another_ cuteboneshipping fanfic next week on July 31st. It's going to be _**much**_ more mature and lewd than this one, so do read at your own risk, kids. It ain't just fluff if ya catch muh drift >w>
> 
> Ontop of that, on July 30th, I am debuting my magnum opus, a special project I've been preparing with a few friends of mine. It's also a Pokemon Alola fanfic, but it doesn't got any cutebone in it so keep that in mind. It's an adventure fanfic staring my personal OC (I know I'm trash ;w; ), so be on the lookout for that too if you're interested. 
> 
> Again, I wanna thank you all soooo much for _all_ the love and support you've given me as well as the feedback. I did _not_ expect this blow up as much as it did and you've all been _amazing_. Shout out to the artists who sent me their fan art, I am truly touched. So a _big_ thanks to users Wavyrn and TheKawaiifan. You guys are too kind. ~♥♥♥ ^w^


	59. Epilogue - Perfect For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few months later after everyone has reunited, a jovial group of friends get together and hang out when they hear some exciting news.

The sunny isles of Alola were as bustling and vibrant as they had ever been. It was a weekend. A good day to hang out with friends. And that's precisely what a certain gaggle of misfits were doing on such a beautiful day. Royal Avenue had become their favorite spot to hang out, and they were more content than they had ever been. Perhaps all the trauma and drama that lead them to this point made it taste that much sweeter when they finally got precisely what they always wanted; A normal life.  
  
Outside the Malasada Shop sat a group of 5 friends and their pokémon. A lovey dovey couple of boys that shared their malasadas with each other, a huffy girl who kept chiding her younger sister to slow down and stop choking herself, and Alola's reigning champion. They had all grown accustomed to each other, and while the young Skull Gang punk was hesitant to meet the Princess's brother, suffice it to say, he had grown on her. Meanwhile, their pokémon were quite the sight to see.  
  
Only a few of them were still eating, some of them playing or even sparring. A pair of brothers, a Leafeon and an Umbreon roughhoused under the watchful eye of a chimera-like creature that still nipped at it's food. A Tsareena and a Lucario had long since finished their meal, and were sparring together far enough from the table to not cause a commotion. Meanwhile, a Primarina and a Lurantis sat together as they sipped on their drinks, chatting away about the sights of the town.  
  
A Sylveon and Espeon sparred as well, though it was more playful and less serious than Tsareena and Lucario's training was. Incinceroar was showing off in front of the young and easily impressed Mimikyu and the elder, more hardened Drampa. It flexed it's strength, trying to lift Tauros and Crabominable up with just one hand each but clearly struggling. The Mimikyu clapped it's tendrils and squeaked in delight. The Drampa however, appeared unimpressed, much to Incineroar's dismay.  
  
Stoutland and Lycanroc were eating together, Lycanroc stuffing it's face sloppily and accidentally spilling residue on the Stoutland's face while the Stoutland itself was trying to eat neatly and ignore the Lycanroc's messy manners. Toxapex and Raichu were preoccupied as well, chatting with what was the  _biggest_ distraction quite literally, Lunala. The smaller pokémon had already finished eating, while Lunala appeared to still be preoccupied with trying to stuff it's face. Every bite made it roar with happiness.  
  
Noivern and Crobat shared a bowl as they sat together more secluded from the others. Noivern pulled out a Berry from their meal, breaking it apart to share with it's mate. Nearby the Lunala was a Blissey and a Shiinotic as well, who were still chowing down on their own food. At the foot of the table laid a Persian by the champion's feet, and a Zoroark by the blonde boy's. The only pokémon that was sat at the table was a Clefable that was also perched near the blonde boy, happily munching on a sugary malasada. The champion was the first to strike up conversation today as she snickered.  
  
"Ok, ok, Strel, I just  _gotta_ see you do that trick again."  
  
"But you  _always_ ask to see it!"  
  
"I know, I know, just...fuckin' humor me~"  
  
"Oh, alright."  
  
Strelitzia popped a Cheri Berry from her milkshake into her mouth and chewed. Eventually, she stuck out her tongue to reveal the stem was tied up. Moon went wild for the trick, as usual, and Lillie rolled her eyes, pulling the stem off her sister's tongue. "You're so easily impressed, I swear." Moon pouted at her, "Well let's see  _you_ do it then." Gladion chuckled and smirked at his sister smugly, "I bet you all the pokéuros in my  _pocket_  you can't pull it off." Lillie pouted, her face going red as she fumed.  
  
"H-How  _dare_ you! I could  _totally_ do this cheap trick!"  
  
"You  _can_ , big sis?!" Strelitzia gasped as her eyes sparkled  
  
Lillie gave a sheepish look and began to sweat. "O-Of  _course_ I can. The Skull Princess can do  _anything_." Hau pulled the Cheri Berry off of his boyfriend's milkshake and held it out to her, "Go on then~ Do the trick, Lillie." She swiped the small fruit from him, popping it in her mouth and chewing. Her eyes widened for a moment, before she spit it out onto her napkin. "Yuck!" she spat in disgust. Strelitzia giggled, "Not a fan of the sweet taste, huh, sis?" Lillie groaned in defeat, "Ugh... _gross_."  
  
"Looks like you lost, little sis."  
  
" _Bite_ me."  
  
"Careful sis, one of my pokémon might just take your offer~"  
  
Strelitzia pouted at him, "D-Don't even think about it, you brute!" Gladion chuckled and waved her off as he sweat nervously. "I-I'm just kidding! I wouldn't do that...probably," he teased, sipping his shake to avoid further questioning. Rotom flew out of Moon's purse, his screen beeping with an alert. "Update, update! Zzt! The-e-e Battle Dome is having a contest today! Wi-i-inner gets their ve-e-ery own Key Stone and  _any_  Mega Stone of choice!" Moon stood up from her seat as everyone else straightened up in theirs.  
  
"S-Seriously?!"  
  
"Yu-u-up! It starts in just one hour! Zzt!"  
  
Moon glanced at her friends and smirked, "You guys thinkin' what  _I'm_ thinkin'?"   
  
Everyone else smirked back and nodded, simultaneously answering what had been on all of their minds.   
  
"Battle Royal time."  
  
They quickly finished up their malasadas, leaving only those with milkshakes to quickly sip up their drinks. Lillie and Moon, being the more impatient of the group, decided to leave their friends behind and catch up with them later. Strelitzia just sipped happily on her drink, chugging it and giving herself brain freeze as a result. She was forced to stop as tears prick at her eyes and she sulked in her seat. Her pokémon immediately came to her aid, her Blissey and her Shiinotic offering medical assistance.  
  
Gladion just giggled bemusingly at the spectacle. He turned his attention to his boyfriend quickly, "Hey, Hau? I'm excited about the contest and all, but what's a Mega Stone?" Hau struggled to think of a proper answer and just shrugged. "I dunno. Must be some rare item." The older boy got an idea and pulled out his tablet, dialing Burnet. She picked up, and as usual, it seemed she was filling out paperwork. She greeted the boys with a warm smile and waved to them as she beamed.  
  
"Hello there boys~!"  
  
"Hey, maman."  
  
"Alola, Professor~!"  
  
Burnet tilted her head at them as she giggled, "What's up?" Gladion took charge of the conversation immediately as he gave Burnet a curious look. "Maman, do you know what Mega Stone is?" She gave him a surprised look as he sipped his shake. "A  _Mega Stone_? Well, sure. It's a very rare item that pokémon use to Mega Evolve. But it's much more popular in Kalos than it is here. Why do you ask?" Hau butted in, hugging Gladion's arm as he answered for him.  
  
"The Battle Dome is holding a contest to give out any Mega Stone of the winner's choice!"  
  
"Really now? That sounds like  _quite_ a prize."  
  
"So how do they work exactly?" Gladion interjected.  
  
"Well, when a pokémon is fully evolved, sometimes it can react to these odd stones called Mega Stones. Not all species are capable of this feat, of course, but more and more have popped up over time as research on it continues. There all sorts of different Mega Stones, and only certain pokémon react to certain Mega Stones."  
  
Hau's eyes sparkled in adoration, "Woah! That's so cool!"  
  
Gladion was still curious as he tilted his head at her, "What kind of pokémon can evolve like that, anyways?"  
  
"Well, your Lucario is a pretty good example. He reacts to a Mega Stone variant referred to as Lucarionite."  
  
The boys both glanced at the older boy's Lucario, who was sitting in the grass, oblivious to the conversation. It looked back at them curiously, before they looked away from it again. Burnet cried out as she suddenly realized she had left out an important detail. "Oh! But of course, a trainer requires a Key Stone to activate this effect. Wild pokémon aren't capable of Mega Evolving because Mega Evolution stems from the bonds pokémon and trainers share," she explained.  
  
"Ohhh, I get it. It's a special connection, just like Z-Moves!" Hau cried. Burnet nodded, "That's right, Hau." Gladion gave her a smile as he briefly stopped sipping on his shake again. "Thanks, maman. I think I might just enter this contest after all." She beamed brightly and waved at him, "Good luck, sweetie! I'll be cheering for you~! Love you~!" Gladion blushed in slight embarrassment before muttering, "Love you too, maman..." under his breath. He hung up, huffing a bit in a slight sigh.  
  
Hau giggled, kissing his boyfriend on the cheek. "Hey, no need to be so embarrassed. I think it's great you guys are getting along much better now," he cooed. Gladion smiled sweetly and nodded. "Yeah...she's been a good mother to me," he admitted. Strelitzia chimed in again, bringing the boys immediately out of it as they realized they weren't alone on a date. "Awww~!" she chirped. They chuckled nervously at her, and she once again went in to suck up her shake until her cup was dry.  
  
Gladion took it slow drinking up the rest of his, but Strelitzia had long since packed up and darted for the Battle Dome by that point. Once he  _was_ done, however, the boys quickly called back their pokémon and packed up, preparing to follow her. As soon as they got up from their seats, they were approached by 2 familiar faces. A certain timid boy and his brash, foul-mouthed lover. Her Goodra and his Passiman were both out, and all of them approached each other and met halfway.  
  
"So, you clowns are enterin' that contest, huh?" Lois snarked.  
  
"Yeah, and we'll wipe the floor with you, just like we did  _last_ time," Hau challenged.  
  
Peter readjusted his glasses, as perusual, "We'll certainly see about  _that_ , won't we...?"  
  
Gladion simply smirked smugly as a glint shone in his eyes, " _Bring_ it."  
  
The four began towards the Battle Dome, the Goodra and Passiman following close behind them with great eagerness.  
  
And just like that, they were on a brand new journey all over again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to clarify this in my last notes, but my current upload schedule, along with dailies, will unfortunately _not_ be in place with my two _new_ fanfics. The release on the 30th will update weekly. As for the 31st release, the cutebone fic, I will be uploading at least 2-3 chapters every month. I may disappear in August since I am moving and going through a bit of a rough patch in my life atm, but rest assured, I _will_ be back before the year is over.
> 
> Thank you all so much again for being with me on this journey. You've all been _awesome_ ~♥♥♥


End file.
